Strategic planning is the process of preparing an organizational plan which includes setting goals, targets, and methods that will be used so that the predetermined goals can be achieved. Strategic planning is one of the important aspects so that all organizational activities can run well. Therefore, planning is an activity that must be carried out with careful consideration and pay attention to all aspects in detail. If you want to do strategic planning in your organization, follow these instructions.
Step
Step 1. Define the organization's vision
Before making a plan, you must know some basic things about the organization, for example: why the organization was founded, what it wants to achieve, what responsibilities must be fulfilled, the segmentation of the community that you want to serve and work with, what kind of image you want to display, where the organization wants to develop.
Step 2. Define the organization's mission
The mission statement is a summary of the vision statement to explain the aims and objectives that underlie the establishment of the organization. The strategic plan is the elaboration of the mission because the determination of the goals and targets to be achieved must refer to the mission as a benchmark for the success of the organization. Example of a mission statement: “To become the holder of the pet sales and care business chain with the largest market share nationally which will be achieved through research, procurement of various pet varieties and products, as well as providing high quality services that exceed customer expectations at affordable prices to be established. good relationship with all customers”.
Step 3. Evaluate the achievement of the organization's performance to date
Before determining how to achieve your goals, try to find out how far you have achieved so far by doing the following things:
- Determine the organization's strengths and weaknesses so that you can develop a plan that uses strengths to overcome weaknesses.
- Take advantage of opportunities to grow the organization. Try to attract some investors or organize an effective fundraiser. To achieve organizational goals, look for opportunities that can support the achievement of targets so that you can include the best ways to get and take advantage of these opportunities in your strategic plan.
- Identify various obstacles that could potentially hinder the implementation of the plan, for example: economic recession, business competitors, or changes in government regulations. When drafting a strategic plan, include how to deal with obstacles and the right strategy as a solution.
Step 4. Write down the various factors that support the success of the organization
The strategic plan must specify the various conditions that support the achievement of the organization's goals and objectives.
- When thinking about strategies to achieve goals, focus on 4 aspects of the organization: finances, customer relations, procedural systems, and human resources.
- Continuing the example above which discusses the pet business, the critical success factors in this business include: good relationships with reputable suppliers, competent customer service team, strong internet connection to provide non-stop services on a national scale, reliable bookkeeping program, and a research team dedicated to finding the best and latest equipment for caring for pets.
Step 5. Define a strategy for reaching each critical success factor
The strategic plan must be prepared systematically and includes all the actions that must be taken within a certain period of time with a certain amount of investment and the name of the responsible personnel.
Step 6. Prioritize strategies to achieve targets that ensure the survival and growth of the organization
Determine the actions needed to achieve each target based on its priorities and develop a step-by-step strategic plan according to the achievement deadlines in chronological order. For example: the plan to operate its own truck fleet for delivery is a long-term target because it requires very large funds and currently there is a temporary solution, namely shipping by ship through a third party company. Therefore, prioritize the more urgent targets to be included in the strategic plan.
Tips
- When formulating an organization's vision and mission, you should involve all members of the organization from top management to part-time employees. By involving all personnel in strategic planning, you develop an organizational culture of teamwork, autonomy and accountability within the organization.
- Evaluate the strategic plan regularly to ensure that you have an effective plan to support the achievement of organizational targets. Also make sure the targets that have been determined are still in line with the mission and vision of the organization. For example: the target of getting funds to expand office space that was planned a few years ago seems very important, but nowadays, many employees are working without having to go to the office. Thus, these targets need to be reconsidered so that you can prioritize other, more important targets.
