Over time, your organization is obliged to stay open minded towards changes with the purpose of making the best decisions it can at any given point. It has to manage, as well as plan, strategically. Strategic planning is not a substitute for the exercise of judgment by leadership.
Eventually, the manager of any organization have to to sit back and ask themselves “What are the most important subjects we should respond to?” and “How shall we respond?” And they are obliged to have answers.
In the end, strategic planning, though regimented in many respects, does not usually flow effortlessly from one step to the next. It is a creative procedure, and the fresh insight arrived at today might very well cause you to alter the decision made yesterday. Unavoidably, the procedure moves back and forth quite a few times before arriving at the final lay down of decisions. Consequently, nobody should be stunned if the procedure feels a ride on a roller coaster.
Keys to Effective Strategic Planning:
Concentrate on the most important subjects during your strategic planning procedure
Be prepared to question both the status quo and sacred cows
Generate a document
Make sure the strategic plan is transformed into an annual operating plan
