A comprehensive strategic planning process

In the following blog, we will look at a comprehensive strategic planning process. We’re going to take you through the process that we utilise here at Beacon Strategies. 

If you were to scan various sources of literature about strategic planning processes you will see slight variations to what we present here, however, a good and comprehensive strategic planning process will generally follow the process phases that we outline here. 

The 6-phase process

Our strategic planning process involves six phases:

1. Looking internally: Hearing from those close to the organisation about current state and desired future state

2. Looking externally: Exploring where the organisation could be through a broader perspective

3. Preparing participants: Ensuring the Board and executive team are informed and ready to think strategically

4. Facilitating the planning: Facilitating a structured workshop to explore and agree on strategic priorities

5. Developing the product: Creating the Strategic Plan document and testing the product

6. Supporting change: Guidance on strategy execution and leading change

Phase 1: Looking internally

Hearing from those close to the organisation about current state and desired future state

This phase requires gathering information about the organisation’s internal strengths, opportunities and aspirations. In this phase, the information is gathered from internal stakeholders about their perceptions and expectations of the organisation. The product of phase 1 is a data capture of concrete information from internal stakeholders that will support decisions being made about an organisation’s future priorities. 

Phase 1 can be comprised of three components:

1. Desktop review of existing intelligence: 

   1. Review and analysis of any previous staff consultation to understand historical context.

2. Feedback from staff: 

   1. Conduct engagement activities with staff across the organisation utilising a SOAR analysis structure (strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results). 

   2. Utilise various and relevant engagement methods (one-on-one interviews, focus group sessions, online survey instrument)

   3. You could also undertake a similar exercise with executive team members and/or Board members.

3. Review achievement against existing/previous Strategy: 

   1. Desktop review of previous strategy document/s and focus group with executive team members to assess the extent to which the organisation has delivered on its previous strategy goals and where/if it fell short (and why).

Staff engagement

Through engagement with staff members, we are looking to understand their perspective on the organisation’s ‘current state’, what the ideal ‘future state’ looks like and how to get there. In times past, organisations would turn to something like a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) however many are now opting for a more positively framed strategic planning tool - the SOAR analysis.

A SOAR analysis structure asks the following type of questions: 

• Strengths: What are the organisation’s greatest strengths?

• Opportunities: What are our best opportunities for impact and/or growth?

• Aspirations: What is the ideal future the organisation is working towards?

• Results: What measurable results will demonstrate the organisation has achieved this ideal future state?

Toward the back-end of each conversation, you may also wish to ‘open up the floor’ for staff to express any ideas or suggestions that haven’t already been discussed which they see as being important to capture. 

Phase 2: Looking externally

Exploring where the organisation could be through a broader perspective

This phase requires gathering information about the external perceptions of the organisation and operating environment. In this phase, the information is gathered from external stakeholders about their perceptions and expectations of the organisation and research undertaken/data collected to inform the decisions made in later phases. The product of phase 2 is a database of concrete information from external stakeholders and sources that (in addition to the internal information from phase 1) will support decisions being made about an organisation’s future priorities. 

Phase 2 can be comprised of three components:

1. Market research report:

• Develop a report summarising key industry issues/ sector trends, such as policy/funding environment, industry transformation, workforce, technology, and governance regulation. 

2. Feedback from clients: 

• Review findings from recent consumer/client feedback surveys 

• Undertake engagement activities with a selection of clients 

• Utilise various and relevant engagement methods as appropriate (one-on-one interviews, focus group session, online survey instrument).

3. Feedback from stakeholders:

• Engage with a select sample of external stakeholders (e.g. partners, funders, peak bodies etc) to capture their perspectives on the organisation and the strategic environment. 

Stakeholder engagement

Through stakeholder engagement, we are looking to obtain an ‘outsider's perspective’ on the organisation’s strengths and opportunities, and the priorities of the sector more broadly. 

The following type of questions could be asked of sector partners for example:

• What are the organisation’s strengths?

• What can the organisation improve upon?

• What, in your opinion, are the strategic priorities of the sector at the moment?

Toward the back-end of each conversation, you may also wish to enquire broadly for stakeholders to express any ideas or suggestions that haven’t already been discussed which they see as being important to capture. 

Phase 3: Preparing participants

Ensuring the board and executive team are informed and ready to think strategically

Phase 3 comprises the development of a briefing report or pre-recorded webinar for organisational leaders (Board and executive management team) distributed prior to their participation in the strategic planning workshop to prompt strategic thinking and to prepare for the facilitated planning session.

Briefing report/pre-recorded webinar: 

• Summarise the findings of the internal and external scanning activities (Phases 1 and 2) 

• Introduce key themes, issues and trends 

Phase 4: Facilitating the planning

Facilitating a structured workshop to explore and agree on strategic priorities

Now the organisation has gathered all relevant information and its leaders have been informed of and digested this information, it is time to make decisions about the future direction of the organisation. 

Phase 4 is generally comprised of three components:

1. Planning the workshop:

• Develop an agreed session format/structure to effectively facilitate the session. 

2. Facilitating the workshop: 

• Facilitate an interactive workshop (half-day or full-day) with organisational leaders to develop strategic plan content that responds to the findings of the internal and external scanning stages.

2. Write up findings:

• Document and write up findings from the workshop for record-keeping and future reference.

Phase 5: Developing the product

Creating the Strategic Plan document and testing the product

By this point, the vision, mission and values have been articulated or reaffirmed or slightly adjusted, the critical issues have been identified and the priorities and actions agreed upon. This phase involves putting the pieces together into one coherent document. 

Phase 5 can be comprised of two components:

1. Drafting the plan:

• Draft the Strategic Plan document, including key components, and explaining and visually presenting the organisation’s agreed strategic priorities, objectives and actions. 

2. Iteration and testing: 

• Test the product with key stakeholders (internal, external or both)

• Incorporate feedback and suggestions 

• Another round of testing may be required (think of this testing process as an opportunity to not only seek feedback and improve the document but as an opportunity to build commitment and ‘buy-in’). 

• Graphically design the document for an external audience 

• Ta-da! 

We’ll just make a note here about the iterative process and testing the product. It is important that this process happens in an efficient manner and that revisions are not dragged out for months, although, of course, action should be taken to answer important questions as they arise through the revision process. You just don’t want to lose momentum at this stage. 

The end result or document should be a concise description of where the organisation is going, how it should get there, and why it needs to go that way - all being ideas that are familiar to and widely supported by the organisation’s staff and leadership because they have been involved and engaged with throughout the entire process thus far. 

The product of Phase 5 is the Strategic Plan document itself. 

Phase 6: Supporting change

Guidance on strategy execution and leading change

Before going into the detail of Phase 6, it is important to note that this is potentially a phase where change resistance may surface as the organisation begins to understand the changes required to be made/work needing to be done to see the Strategic Plan be delivered upon. As part of ensuring successful implementation of the strategic plan, leadership is advised to pay attention to managing the changes required and supporting organisation members in successfully executing those changes. 

Phase 6 is generally comprised of four components:

1. Internal strategic plan:

• Creation of a similar document to the external-facing Strategic Plan for internal use. This document takes the strategic areas and actions and adds detail around those actions, i.e. the various tasks that make up the delivery of that action, who is responsible for doing this and in what timeframe. 

2. Governance framework: 

• Creation of a process to guide the delivery and implementation of the Strategic Plan 

• Suggest a cross-functional strategy execution group that monitor the delivery of actions, proactively problem-solve barriers to deliverables, provide advice and guidance, and champion outcomes/achievements.

3. Reporting process: 

• Standardised/templated reporting process (up to the cross-functional strategy execution group).

4. Communication plan: 

• Plan for building awareness (internally and externally) about the new Strategic Plan. 

And that’s a wrap. The 6-phases we use to develop a strategic plan. Of course, we could go into lots more detail about each phase however the purpose of this blog is to provide you with a high-level overview of each of them to help you get started.

If you have any questions about a particular phase in the process, feel free to have a chat with us! One of our friendly consultants will be able to help you out, just send an email to info@beaconstrategies.net.

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