For leaders of small to mid-size businesses, our strategic planning services revolve around an iterative, practical approach, distinct from conventional methods. Traditional strategic planning is often treated as a static snapshot, offering a one-time look at the business situations and recommendations for improvement.
This approach to strategic planning suits some business leaders who prefer to delegate strategic thinking, representing around 30% of them. These leaders either don’t place priority on planning themselves or they rely on others for strategic/operating alignment.
Another 30% of business leaders engage with this snapshot strategy, but their involvement tends to be superficial, often limited to what’s deemed to be most necessary during strategic sessions. Their commitment rarely extends beyond nominal participation and follow-up on the goals established during strategic planning.
Then, there are other business leaders who delve deep into planning, dedicating significant effort to understand and implement operational enhancements. This group also makes up about 30% of business leaders. These leaders recognize the value in detailed planning and actively work towards integrating it into their operations.
The final 10% of leaders adopt a comprehensive, integrated approach to strategic planning. They don’t just plan; they iterate. Using a blend of mental models, analytical tools, and continuous evaluation, they align strategic and tactical elements effectively. Their goal is to design plans and actions with a higher success probability and execute them with greater confidence. This approach is dynamic, allowing ongoing adjustments to optimize results.
Our integrated strategy service starts with a deep understanding of the business leader’s purpose, vision, and values. These elements form the stable footing and foundation upon which business strategies are built, ensuring the solidity of the plans and increasing the success potential of subsequent actions. The business leader, in collaboration with the leadership team, reinforces this foundation by capturing the organization’s core principles..
Upon this solid footing and foundation, leaders construct the strategic plan through iterative cycles of decision-making, both strategic and operational. These decisions undergo rigorous testing from multiple perspectives and lead to the creation of SMARTACRE Goals:
- Specific,
- Measurable,
- Attainable,
- Relevant,
- Time-bound,
- Action-tested,
- Conversion-tested,
- Results-tested, and
- Emotion-tested.
This comprehensive approach charts a clear path forward and ensures that every aspect of the plan is practical, achievable, and aligned with the organization’s overarching objectives.