Bekhor Management - Strategic Planning for Professionals | Strategic Planning Consultants Toronto

Strategic Plans That Get Implemented Before the Ink Dries

Everyone has heard about the strategic plans that sit on a shelf and collect dust. What about strategic plans that get implemented before the ink dries?

I will tell you about them…

The goal of a strategic planning exercise is for a team to develop a road map for the future of the practice, on which they are in agreement, and about which they share excitement in terms of the opportunity it presents.

The key to the development of a strategic plan that will be implemented in earnest is its authenticity. In order for a strategic plan to generate excitement and commitment, it needs to be about your practice’s unique makeup at a particular moment in time. It needs to accommodate current practice development objectives and offer practical actions tied to strategies based on your unique set of critical success factors.

"The key to the development of a strategic plan that will be implemented in earnest is its authenticity."

I have been through this process both as a consultant and a participant and know firsthand that the value of the resulting strategies and actions depends on how honest and thoughtful the discussions were. Scratching the surface of business issues and opportunities will generate a generic plan limited in value. As well, less than honest discussions will result in a plan that is met with hesitation and is challenging to implement.

Here are some suggestions as to how you can set the stage for the development of a valuable strategic plan:

The people:
Ideally there will be a fit both between strategic planning team members, the team and the consultant. The team will be most effective at the strategic planning exercise if they are:
Invited to feel at ease
Not worried about filtering their thoughts
Able to be open and honest even if that involves presenting conflicting points of view
The process:
The strategic planning process must be fluid and allow for movement between the following critical steps:
Establish objectives, vision and positioning
Review market dynamics and competitive forces
Take inventory of core competencies
Blue sky thinking about the future
Develop compelling core strategies
Identify actions and associated accountability
The priority:
An insightful consultant employing a solid process will still be affected by how high a priority the process is considered to be by the strategic planning team. Ideally strategic planning takes place outside of the office in an uninterrupted and stress free time and place. It can also take place within the office successfully if given priority in terms of time and attention.

If the people involved in developing the strategic plan are comfortable enough to be honest, the process will invite visionary as well as practical thinking. As a result, everyone will be highly involved in the process and committed to implementing the resulting plan before the ink even has a chance to dry!

How can our business and marketing consultants contribute to your strategic planning process?

At Bekhor Management in Toronto, our consultants take an approach to facilitating the strategic planning process that invites insight as it addresses the root of issues and opportunities facing your professional practice. Our process sets the stage for the development of a strategic plan that offers value because it is authentic and consequential.

Contact us by email or by telephone at (416) 969-9600 for an initial consultation without fee or obligation, if you are professional in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and are interested in building a better practice.