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The Path to Strategic Success is in the "How?" By Colleen Rudio, CPVA, CPBA - Organizational Development Consultant

We've seen the headlines. Sales are down, employees are stressed about job security, and the cost to doing business hasn't leveled out…developing the best strategies to support your company's goals is critical during these uncertain times.

Although some strategic plans are written for long-term goals in the 3-5 year range, the most effective plan is revised annually and drives through each initiative to discover the "how to" of the company's goals. How to move toward your goal, how to utilize your resources, how to know if the steps are working, how to measure whether the goal has been met, how to align operational and financial initiatives, how to adapt, and how to lead and take action.

While discovering the "how to" the process of strategic planning is often full of secondary opportunities for discovery in itself.

For example: A management team might begin the planning process in order to solve a specific problem, for example how to effectively introduce a new product to customers, and realize there is an overlooked issue bogging down the organizations growth potential, such as how the sales staff communicates with the production team.

When using a systematic approach and truly diving into the day-to-day components of operation, resolution can often be found and integrated. So the question remains, "How relevant, practical and meaningful is your current strategic plan in addressing existing and future goals or has it become just another plan sitting on the shelf? "

Author Andre Maurois once said, "Business is a combination of war and sport. Both require strategy and leadership." With an effective plan in place, you are more prepared for the days of battle ahead and on the right path to enjoy the days of playing the game.

Consider the following and if you can answer "yes", the opportunity for planning is now. It is through diligence, insight and strategic execution that your business can continue to thrive.

Has a market shift forced you to see things differently, identify new resources or provide new leadership direction to your team?

Are increased expenses negatively impacting your profitability and beginning to sacrifice growth potential, customer service, or team moral?

Are increasingly complex management situations influencing your strategic direction?

Have inconsistencies in training and performance expectations created increased employee frustrations, low productivity or possible high turnover?

Is your company developing a new product or service this year?

Has your company experienced a growth spurt?

Are you gaining the most productivity from your human talent?

Do you desire a culture of leadership, aligning strategies to your people, your performance and your profitability?

Colleen Rudio, CPVA, CPBA, Organizational Development Consultant in our Missoula Office at (406) 522-7946 for further information on creating a plan that truly drives results.

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