A strategic plan is not a strategy

A strategic plan is not a strategy.

A strategic plan implements, maintains, or modifies a strategy.
Implementation and modification mean changes to the status quo.

Therefore, a strategic plan that is anything else other than maintaining the status quo is a change plan.

 

Do you think of strategic planning and plans that way?

Incorporate change planning?

There are at least four significant implications:

❗ First: If the strategy needs work, then THAT is part of the strategic plan.

❗ Second: How have major changes gone in the past?

Well? Not so well? Mix?

Factor in past change success change when setting expectations for future change.

If past change success has been mixed, then one strategic plan item might be getting better at change 😉

❗ Third: How do the strategic plan items affect work capacity?

For the plan to work, is there an expectation that people maintain current workloads (usually “full”) AND make changes?

This is a recipe for both not getting stuff done and frustrating people. Not to mention leaders looking out of touch with reality.

Changes require workload “room” to make the changes.

Also, implementation and modification imply time and effort that may not be immediately produce results. Have you factored that into expectations as well, especially timing?

 

Fourth implication in the next post …