The Executive Guide To Strategic Planning
by Patrick Below, George Morrisey and Betty Acomb

Every once in awhile one comes across a book worth sharing; such is the case with The Executive Guide To Strategic Planning. This book offers senior executives a practical and straightforward approach to strategic planning. "It explains in detail how to formulate strategic plans that will develop the company's strengths, be responsive to changing business conditions, and serve to chart a productive and profitable company future."

One of the most challenging responsibilities of a chief executive is to successfully construct and implement a strategic plan. Those who have struggled with this task know how time consuming, frustrating, and expensive the process can be. Though strategic planning is the single most important function of the chief executive most are unsure on how to proceed. They sometimes confuse operational planning with strategic planning. They fail to realize that strategic planning focuses on what business the organization should be in and the direction in which it should be going and that an operational plan focuses on the specifics of how to get there.

Direct reports usually do not help facilitate the process. They show their aversion to the idea of creating a strategic plan with comments such as "We don't have the time to create a strategic plan!' 'How can we plan for the future when things are changing so fast?' 'It is not my responsibility to create a strategic plan, I am held responsible for results!' 'Why do we need to spend all this time on a strategic plan, we are doing fine!"

These facts spawn the temptation to avoid the process altogether or create a hybrid report mixing elements of strategic and operational thinking resulting in a document that states the condition of the organization, the environment in which it operates and the steps the management team will take to address them. Both of these approaches leave the executive without the tools, knowledge and focus to neither lead the organization to its full potential nor deal with the unexpected externalities he or she must face.

A strategic plan is not an end unto itself. Its primary role is to provide the "front-end focus and direction to the entire organization's planning efforts." This is critical because managers in an organization that has a strong operational plan going in different directions will be frustrated in their efforts to achieve long-term, consistent results.

The Executive Guide To Strategic Planning shares with the reader the two key ingredients that make strategic planning work. The first is that the process of planning is as important as the plan itself. Developing a viable planning process that all managers understand and use is critical to establishing a strategic plan. The second is to create an organizational commitment to both the planning process and the plan.

Though a quick read, this book contains details on how to set up a planning team, clarify the organization's purpose, philosophy and future direction. It offers methods to gather information to determine critical areas where change is needed and ways to evaluate the plans effectiveness. The book provides a series of questions that helps a chief executive exam-i ne the need for, the process used and the value of staff commitment to write a strategic plan. It answers the questions: What are the elements of a strategic plan? How do they fit together? And what is the most effective approach to developing a strategic plan?

Strategic planning is a lot of work, it does require a significant time allotment, but it is the most important responsibility of the chief executive. Done correctly it is the process that clarifies the overall direction of the organization and creates the blueprint for the operational plan and action steps. It is also an essential vehicle to communicate to all the organization's stakeholders (e.g. employees, customers, equity partners) the direction the organization is going.

The Executive Guide To Strategic Planning is a must read for senior executives that want to clarify their thinking and understanding of strategic planning. The executive will come away with the necessary information to construct and implement a successful strategic plan, and most importantly, a process that will assist them produce positive outcomes on a consistent basis.

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