From Vision to Work Plan
Many of us have experienced the annual strategy day. Some really enjoy this experience while others view it as a time-consuming activity that takes them away from their work and usually doesn’t lead to anything.
The key question is: Do your people see strategy planning as just another process they need to tick off? Or is it viewed as an opportunity to constructively interact to unlock organisational and individual potential; that is, does the exercise refocus and invigorate the organisation’s Vision, Purpose and Values into an overall strategic and action-focused delivery framework?
Effective strategy workshop
Your annual strategy session should pursue the 4 R principles, to identify:
- the right things to get done
- in the right sequence
- within the right time frame
- in the right way (values and behaviour)
A typical ‘buy-in to take ownership’ approach incorporates the following activities:
- Explore, clarify and validate the organisational vision (aspirations and ambitions) and purpose (our reason for being)
- Identify and clarify the ‘signature’ values that will drive improved performance and desired outcomes
- Understand, articulate and commit to the ‘signature’ behaviours that will model the values in support of the vision, purpose and strategy
- Identify and clarify the strategic objectives (what needs to be achieved to deliver success)
- Identify the key strategic factors or foundation stones that will underpin future success (critical success factors)
- Identify and develop the five or six high pay-off activities (the 80/20 Effectiveness Principles) that align to the delivery of the strategic objectives
- Integrate the high pay-off activities into a Key Work Plan Model
- Identify key organisational (and personal) goals linked to the high pay-off activities
- Identify low pay-off activities and how to deal with them in the future.
This document provides the context and narrative for ongoing organisational clarification and alignment activities. Most importantly, it is a document owned by all those who have participated in creating it. Together with regular ongoing reviews, it becomes a powerful tool to monitor progress against agreed work priorities and goals.
Getting to a common understanding
If you’re interested in the approach outlined above, check out our ‘From Vision to Work Plan’ workshop. This highly focused, intensive and collaborative process (conducted over one or two days) is designed to encourage participants to take ownership of the final Work Plan and outcomes – a win on all fronts.
For more information on the Vision to Workplan Workshop
Call 1300 ANCORA (262672)
