Training Course: The Process of Professional Strategic Planning

Introduction

An organization without a strategy is like a ship without a rudder. It’s essential for any organization to have a clear direction, set ambitious goals, and understand the current and future environment in order to provide exceptional value to its stakeholders and customers. This is where strategic planning becomes crucial. Without a well-structured plan, organizations cannot continue to thrive and achieve sustainable growth.

In this course, we will explore the step-by-step strategic planning process, starting with the foundational elements of strategic thinking, followed by the planning components, and concluding with the effective execution of the strategy. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the necessary skills to implement or refine the strategic management process within their organization, ensuring they achieve their vision and mission.

Course Objectives

• Apply Strategic Thinking: Learn how to assess your current environment and determine organizational ambition through effective strategic thinking.
• Leverage the Strategic Management Process: Understand how to employ the strategic management process to best achieve organizational goals.
• Choose Sustainable Strategies: Assess and choose strategies that create a sustainable competitive advantage for the organization.
• Set Clear Strategic Objectives and KPIs: Learn how to set SMART targets, define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and align objectives with your overall strategy.
• Convert Plans into Action: Develop and implement strategic initiatives, transforming your strategic plans into detailed operational plans.
• Ensure Proper Execution: Participate in the performance management cycle to ensure effective execution of the chosen strategies.

Course Outlines

Day 1: Strategic Thinking and Planning

• Strategy Safari: A comprehensive introduction to professional strategic planning.
• The Strategic Management Process: Exploring the step-by-step strategic planning process.
• Strategic Thinking vs. Strategic Planning: Understanding the key differences and how to blend both in the planning phase.
• Benefits of Strategic Management: Learn how to benefit from adopting a well-defined strategic planning process.
• Myths About Strategy: Debunking common misconceptions surrounding strategic planning.
• Environmental Analysis: Using tools like Porter's 5 Forces, SWOT analysis, and PEDESTL frameworks to assess internal and external factors that impact strategy.

Day 2: Vision, Mission Statements, and Values

• Using Vision and Mission Statements: The importance of vision and mission statements in guiding organizational strategy.
• Defining and Formulating Vision and Mission Statements: Learn the steps for crafting impactful vision and mission statements.
• Embracing Organizational Values: Understanding how organizational values influence strategy formulation.
• Effective Communication: How to communicate vision, mission, and values throughout the organization to ensure alignment.

Day 3: Assessing Strategic Choices

• Competitive Strategy Goals: The three primary goals of competitive strategy and how to formulate them.
• Porter's Generic Competitive Strategies: Learn the best approaches for developing a competitive advantage.
• Value Chain Analysis: How to assess and innovate within your industry’s value chain to strengthen your strategic position.

Day 4: Strategic Objectives, KPIs, and Targets

• Strategic Alignment: Ensuring strategic alignment across the organization by setting clear objectives.
• Developing Effective Strategic Objectives: Using tools like the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) to set impactful goals.
• Understanding KPIs: Characteristics of effective KPIs and how to develop them for better performance measurement.
• SMART Targets: How to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for the organization.

Day 5: Developing Operating Plans

• Cascading Vision to Action Plans: Turning your vision and strategy into actionable plans.
• Criteria for Effective Action Plans: Learn how to build action plans that align with your strategic objectives.
• Developing Strategic Initiatives: Implementing strategies through well-defined initiatives.
• Managing Strategy Execution: How to manage and control the execution of your strategy, using tools like KPI dashboards for continuous monitoring.

Why Attend this Course: Wins & Losses!

• Master Professional Strategic Planning: Gain a deep understanding of strategic planning and its importance for organizational success.
• Learn the First Step in the Planning Process: Understand what is the first step in the planning process and how to set the foundation for effective strategy formulation.
• Benefits of Strategic Planning: Discover how strategic planning can drive organizational success and lead to long-term sustainability.
• Develop Actionable Plans: Learn how to develop a strategic plan that can be executed effectively, ensuring your organization stays on course.
• Improve Organizational Competitiveness: Learn to choose strategies that create a sustainable competitive advantage, leading to increased market share and profitability.
• Earn Strategic Planning Certification: By the end of this course, you’ll have the knowledge and practical skills to create and manage strategic plans, positioning you as a key player in your organization’s leadership.

Conclusion

This course provides participants with a structured approach to strategic planning and equips them with the tools to apply it effectively within their organizations. By understanding and applying the step-by-step strategic planning process, participants will be able to formulate clear strategies that align with their vision and mission, measure progress through KPIs, and ensure successful execution. Whether you’re just starting to formulate a strategic plan or looking to refine an existing one, this course is an essential resource for any professional looking to master strategic planning and lead their organization towards success.

Sign up today to gain the knowledge and skills needed to drive your organization forward through effective strategic planning!