Strategic Planning And Why It's Time To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

https://hbr.org/webinar/2017/12/the-big-lie-of-strategic-planning

A recent webinar on the article written by Roger L. Martin made a provocative statement that all businesses should consider when they are thinking of "strategic planning":

"Appearing to NOT choose IS a choice!"

It's a rather long webinar (honestly a bit boring), and while I would recommend watching the whole hour long video, I'll save you the time and give you a key point summary:

• Typical strategic planning focuses on a businesses real comfort zones and rarely gets them outside of that zone - budgets, goal, etc. Emphasis is on planning, not strategy!

• Getting outside a business's comfort zone is imperative - the idea is to make strategic choices, not tweak plans within what the business actually knows today.

• There is a difference between strategic planning/planning and strategy.

• Normal strategic planning includes a very cost driven mindset - what can we do with what we have - all things within a business's control.

• Better strategic planning breaks that mold and works on the Sales end of the P&L. Customer driven investment thinking vs. capability based initiatives.

• If you can't get it to one page, it's not strategy!

• It is not about perfection. It's more about key choices (and some will not work out).

• What would have to be true for this choice/move to be successful - then work on those barriers to make it happen.

• And lastly, appearing to NOT choose (e.g. working on 10 initiatives vs. 1 or 2) is a choice! And doing this is dangerous because NOT choosing is just as dangerous as choosing!

If you need help creating a real strategic plan, give TIER321 a call. We are happy to help you in your journey to work through real strategic choices and decisions.

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