A Strategic Planning Process: Creating a Living Document

by Jeanette Millard

Sometimes, a leader can create a strategic plan, and they know enough to do a good job.

Often, a team can put their heads together and create a stronger plan.

Both approaches involve a critical follow-up step: presenting the plan to the rest of the company and building the support needed for follow-through and action.

Strategic planning looks different for each company. Helm’s overall approach is that for the strongest and most useful strategic plan, it is often best when the whole company takes part in some way. If everyone is asked for input, there isn’t that gap between creating the plan and then seeking support from your team for implementation.

The plan is a living document, and everyone knows what’s in it, and how it was created. Support is inherent in the process. Follow-up is not based on convincing everyone that it’s a good plan.

What is a strategic plan?

A strategic plan creates a map towards the company’s vision and mission and lays out the steps to implement it over a 3-5 year period. The planning process focuses on the top priorities for achieving the mission. Following endorsement, the first year of the plan is turned into an operational plan for the year. The steering committee (or the company’s leadership team) revisits the plan every 6 months or so, to check on progress and flesh out the coming year of the plan.

The strategic planning process launched recently by HELM with client New Frameworks exemplifies this approach. The goals of the first meeting for the carefully selected steering committee (see sidebar) were to come together as a team, start the process, and receive the first “homework assignment.” 

The kickoff day started with some initial foundational work highlighting New Frameworks’ major strengths and favorite moments. People talked about what they’d like to say about the company in 5 years. Then, the committee brainstormed a list of areas and issues they’d like to address during the strategic planning process. 

Typically, such a group would then knuckle down around a table and crank out the plan (or pay a consultant to do it for them). Then, it might be presented to the rest of the company, hoping for support. Typically, the leaders have to spend a lot of time building support. Worst case: the plan is then put in a binder and put on a shelf. Done.

In this case, the steering committee’s homework assignment after the kickoff was to interview the other members of the company and get their opinions about which areas *they* think are most important to tackle. 

The kickoff day was engaging and fun, with the committee members giving it their full energy and creativity. HELM facilitated the process and will be reconvening the steering committee to review the results of the interviews, see which priorities emerge, and then start working on the most important areas. 

Who is involved in the steering committee?

The steering committee comprises a “diagonal slice” of the organization, including 5-7 people from across all areas of work, and from all different levels. It is also possible to include a past member, or the founder, of the company. Members need to have the energy and initiative to participate in the process, as well as the time. Usually, for HELM clients, the owner(s) of the company are part of the steering committee.

The homework assignment after that second planning meeting? You guessed it, another round of interviews with the rest of the company, to share areas selected, hear how the work has proceeded so far, and express their thoughts about each priority. 

When the strategic planning process is completed, the entire company will know what is in it, and understand how and why the work was done and the decisions made. Implementing the plan will require follow-through, but the engagement and support, and the highest quality decisions, will already have been delivered.

Steps in this strategic planning process

1. Form the steering committee 

2. First meeting: build a foundation, establish a process, brainstorm areas of focus

3. Steering committee’s homework: Interviews to get input

4. Second meeting: Review input, choose priority areas to focus on,  set a strategy for each focal area, and begin to flesh out each area

5. Homework: Interviews to review the work done so far and get input

6. For “stuck points”: Invite some experts and advisors in, and talk with them, then work to agree on a direction

7. Third meeting: Review input, do the next deep dive of planning (this step may be repeated a few more times)

8. Homework: Interviews and input

9. Semi-final meeting: Revisit the company’s original mission and vision statements: does anything need to change? 

10. Final committee meeting (or two): 

a. Create a timeline for each priority, with a strategy to guide it, then adjust the full timeline to make the plan workable over 3-5 years

b. Create a detailed plan for the first year of implementation

11. Presentation by the steering committee to the whole company, with a discussion of the revised vision, then endorsement of the plan, and then a toast to all