Strategic Planning

Strategic Team Alignment  

The steps of this process are as follows:

1.  Develop a clear and compelling vision for the team, based on its mission of supporting the corporate vision.  This vision needs to be articulated in graphic terms so that all can visualize what things will be like as the vision becomes reality, and so that all members of the group will want to be part of the effort to make it a reality.  The vision focuses on "where are we going" and "why," but not the "how."  It should drive everything else.  Visions are usually reviewed yearly, but may not change more than every 4-5 years, although in today's ever-quickening pace that may change!

How we do this: Typically the leader begins the process with his/her own vision, and then the rest of the leadership group works to make it even more graphic and interprets its implications for the group as a whole and for each member group. We often use a visioning exercise that facilitates this process.

2.  Based on the vision, develop strategic goals for the entire department.  As the name implies, strategic goals establish the strategy, the "how" in general terms; they are directional statements that point the organization toward ways to bring the vision to reality.  These goals should be those that every function can feel ownership of, so that each has "skin in the game."  Typically strategic goals are reviewed at least annually, but may take 2-3 years to fully accomplish.

How we do this: In the strategic alignment process the group drafts the goals based on the vision, and identifies the implications of these goals for each function in the team.  This step and the next one begin to create the vertical alignment.

3.Develop specific, measurable targets required to move the organization toward goal accomplishment for the coming year.  (Since development work may require longer than 12 months, milestones are needed in order to meet final target.)  These targets (or objectives, if you wish) become part of your business plan, as they will require budget and other resource allocations.   

How we do this: For each strategic goal, specific targets are identified, quantified, and prioritized.  (Note: In your dynamic environment, priorities inevitably change.  Something that was not even on the list originally can suddenly become a #1 priority.  Nimble organizations learn to shift gears quickly in response to strategic shifts -- but that does not mean it is useless to set priorities).  A point person/leader is identified for each objective, and a matrix is created identifying all the other functions and contributions needed in order to accomplish the objective.  As details are fleshed out, priorities determined, and resources allocated, negotiation will likely be necessary.  This step begins to create the horizontal alignment.  In the Strategic Team Alignment process, we establish the framework, and you likely will complete all the details on your own.

4.Clarify roles needed in order to accomplish the goals and targets.  Even though I've listed this as step 4, this work actually grows out of and occurs almost simultaneously with steps 2 and 3.

How we do this: This step is necessary not only for clarification of who does what, but also to generate buy-in so that people's behavior does get aligned with the plan and they don't create their own informal organizational  chart by circumventing the plan.  Role clarification exercises in the group process will be used to generate this clarity and buy-in.  An important message to communicate in today's environment is that roles are not as static as they were in the past.  As organizations respond to market opportunities, processes change and roles change.  It's a fluid, dynamic process and can be stressful for those who like certainty.

5. Analyze, redesign/create effective processes for achieving goals.  Again, some of this will occur simultaneously with the earlier steps, but typically this is the outgrowth of establishing common goals, clarifying roles, and developing business plans.  

How we do this: In the Strategic Team Alignment process, various processes may be identified as critical to the achievement of goals.  These processes are then targeted for further analysis, mapping, and redesign by you as part of your work plans.

Steps to Developing Horizontal and Vertical Alignment  

Alignment Session(s): We facilitate meetings at which your group will:  

• clarify department vision and its implications

• agree on a set of strategic goals to support the vision and the implication of each goal for each function

• at a minimum, create the framework for developing operational objectives or targets to support each goal, develop criteria for prioritizing, and create an interdependency matrix for each

• clarify roles in relation to the vision, strategic goals, and operational targets; clarify consulting roles of key people whose responsibilities cut across other areas

• identify key processes to be targeted for analysis and improvement
  
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