Solid strategic planning requires starting with the end in mind. If you don’t know your desired outcome, no strategy will get you there, limiting your professional developing in the long term. To develop coherent success strategies based on a concrete goal, take the necessary time to envision, feel, and formulate actionable steps that will move you towards your desired outcome.
Identify the best way to align your vision.
After you know the scope and the look and feel of your project, work backwards to identify the best way to achieve your desired result. This is where understanding logical next steps proves most helpful. In other words, if we know what point D looks and feels like, and we know that we are currently at point A, we can step backwards and identify the actionable steps for points C and B. By clarifying the vision and working backwards, you will figure out your actionable steps naturally. The most important part to remember – be sure to include accountability and communication when implementing your plan.
Questions to Ask
- Have I included everyone who needs to be involved in the planning process?
- What do I want this project to look like?
- What do I want this project or enterprise to feel like?
- What do I want this project or enterprise to sound like?
- What are the must-have needs versus the high-importance wants?
“Most strategies do not fail in formulation, which is always ideal and theoretical. They fail in implementation, which is in the trenches and demands accountability.”
—Alan Weiss
…Thank you for playing such an inspirational role in my personal and professional development.
M.A.G.