Synopses & Reviews
The fast and easy way to think and act strategicallyAre you a business owner or management professional looking to weather current economic storms while planning for future growth? Providing practical, field-tested techniques and a complete 6-phase plan, Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies shows you how to make strategy a habit for all organizations, no matter the size, type, or resource constraints.
Strategic Planning 101 — get plain-English explanations of the who, how, why, and when of strategic planning
The nuts and bolts — discover your core DNA, identify your strategic issues, find your competitive advantage, and develop your mission, vision, and values
Collect your data — gather information that's critical for your strategic decision making, assess your business and its capabilities, and see your company through your customers' eyes
Pave a clear path — plan for the future, determine how to grow and be sustainable, and identify and evaluate opportunities
Open the book and find:
Why strategic planning works
The elements of a strategic management process
How to establish clear goals and measure your progress
Ways to execute your plan
Tips to find new customers
How to plan for what-ifs
Strategies for growth and sustainability
Interactive tools and templates available on the bonus CD-ROM for individual and group exercises designed to help guide you through each step of the strategic planning process.
Please see the CD appendix for details and complete system requirements.
Learn to:
Be agile in a continually shifting environment while planning for long-term sustainability
Make strategy a habit for all organizations
Improve efficiency, focus, and execution
Worksheets and templates on the bonus CD-ROM
Synopsis
Think and act strategically every timeIn today's business environment, strategic planning stresses the importance of making decisions that will ensure an organization's ability to successfully respond to changes in the environment and plan for sustainable viability. Providing practical, field-tested techniques and a complete 6-phase plan, Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies shows you how to make strategy a habit for all organizations, no matter the size, type, or resource constraints.
Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies is for companies of all types and sizes looking to build and sustain a competitive edge, set up an ongoing process for market assessment and trend analysis, and develop a vision for future growth. This revised edition includes: new and updated content on planning for both the short and the long-term; crucial information on succession planning; help preparing for the unexpected using scenario planning and agile strategy; strategies for implementing change and integrating strategic plans successfully by involving all staff members; and more.
- The supplementary CD lays out a comprehensive, 6-phase, step-by-step program, complete with downloadable spreadsheets, charts, checklists, video links, and more
- Provides value for any business or entrepreneur looking to improve efficiency, focus, and competitive edge
- Includes practical, field-tested techniques
Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies gives today's business owners and upper-level management the tools and information they need to think and act strategically in order to more effectively weather current economic storms while planning for future growth.
Synopsis
In today's business environment, strategic planning stresses the importance of making decisions that will ensure an organization's ability to successfully respond to changes in the environment and plan for sustainable viability. Providing practical, field-tested techniques and a complete 6-phase plan, Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies shows you how to make strategy a habit for all organizations, no matter the size, type, or resource constraints. Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies is for companies of all types and sizes looking to build and sustain a competitive edge, set up an ongoing process for market assessment and trend analysis, and develop a vision for future growth. This revised edition includes: new and updated content on planning for both the short and the long-term; crucial information on succession planning; help preparing for the unexpected using scenario planning and agile strategy; strategies for implementing change and integrating strategic plans successfully by involving all staff members; and more. The supplementary CD lays out a comprehensive, 6-phase, step-by-step program, complete with downloadable spreadsheets, charts, checklists, video links, and more Provides value for any business or entrepreneur looking to improve efficiency, focus, and competitive edge Includes practical, field-tested techniques Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies gives today's business owners and upper-level management the tools and information they need to think and act strategically in order to more effectively weather current economic storms while planning for future growth.
About the Author
Erica Olsen is cofounder and COO of M3 Planning, Inc., a firm dedicated to developing and executing strategy. M3 provides consulting and facilitation services, as well as hosts products and tools such as MyStrategicPlan for leaders with big ideas who want to empower and focus their teams to achieve them.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1Part I: Kicking Off Your Strategic Planning Process 7
Chapter 1: What Is Strategic Planning Really? 9
Chapter 2: Why Strategic Planning Works 23
Chapter 3: Getting Set Up for Successful Planning 35
Part II: Determining Your Core DNA and Envisioned Future 53
Chapter 4: Identifying Your Strategic Issues 55
Chapter 5: Focusing on What You Do Best 75
Chapter 6: Developing Your Mission, Values, and Vision 91
Part III: Sizing Up Your Current Situation 111
Chapter 7: Assessing Your Business and Its Capabilities 113
Chapter 8: Seeing Your Business through Your Customers' Eyes 131
Chapter 9: Researching the Market to Find New Customers 147
Chapter 10: Identifying Your Opportunities and Threats 169
Part IV: Mapping Your Organization's Path to the Future 191
Chapter 11: Strategizing for Growth and Sustainability 193
Chapter 12: Establishing Your Strategic Objectives, Goals, and Actions 211
Chapter 13: Putting Your Plan into Action 237
Part V: Living and Breathing Your Plan 261
Chapter 14: Execute, Execute, Execute: Putting Your Plan to Work 263
Chapter 15: Scenario Planning: Answering the What Ifs 283
Chapter 16: Value-Creating Strategies for Entrepreneurial Organizations 295
Chapter 17: Sustainability for the Social Sectors 305
Part VI: The Part of Tens 319
Chapter 18: Ten Tips to Keep Your Strategic Plan from Hitting the Shelf 321
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Ruin Your Strategy Meetings and How to Avoid Them 325
Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Maintain Momentum in Your Planning Process (And Life) 331
Appendix: About the CD 335
Index 343