A sound company strategic plan is the culmination of “think tank” sessions utilizing both internal and external resources.

A strategic plan provides a goal or set of goals and an implementation plan to achieve the desired outcome.  Goals without an implementation plan are nothing more than lottery ticket fantasies.  For the company to achieve its strategic plan the majority of the company’s work force must “buy in”.  They must agree with the plan’s overall attributes and they must be 100% behind the implementation or success will not be forthcoming.

Most companies do not have the in-house expertise to organize a series of strategic planning sessions.  The sessions themselves must have focus, an agenda, a catalyst, a venue and a set of forum rules.  Without all of the aforementioned items being organized and managed properly, the sessions will become chaotic and there will be no resolutions, plans of attack or to say it simply, any value derived from the time spent.  Although it may sound ridiculous, a company needs to invest in proper planning to create and implement a strategic planning exercise.

Considering the investment in staff time, that a company must commit to in order to truly benefit from a group of strategic planning sessions utilizing the services of an independent facilitator is the most economical solution to ensuring that true value is obtained and a positive outcome is achieved.

A facilitator will provide expertise and knowledge in the five primary key areas to successful sessions;

• Focus;

• Agenda;

• Catalyst;

• Venue;

• Rules. 

A facilitator also has the attribute of being an independent sounding board for ideas and views creating a “think outside of the box” atmosphere; an open discussion forum, where all participants believe that their ideas and points of view are valuable and being considered within the context of the meetings.

Strategic planning can be an important key to a company’s success.  Make your sessions, meaningful and beneficial contract with an independent facilitator, they will prove to be a truly valuable investment.