| Are you faced with strategic plans that are not | | | | the lynch pin for any business. If so, you are |
| executed or poorly executed? If so, maybe you | | | | absolutely 1000% correct. |
| have been focusing far too much on your vision or | | | | Unfortunately, many individuals involved in business |
| values and not enough on the actual process of | | | | planning including those sometimes very expensive |
| strategic goal setting. | | | | outside consultants to executive coaches are truly |
| Strategic goal setting is different than what most | | | | clueless about the importance of strategic goal |
| people believe when speaking of goal setting. The | | | | setting. The reason is that the goals are secondary in |
| first difference is the word strategic. From its earliest | | | | their opinion to the overall strategic planning process. |
| origins, strategy literally means to out think and | | | | What is more important to these knowledgeable |
| deceive the enemy. For this to happens means there | | | | folks are the vision, values and mission statements as |
| must exist an overall plan where each goal is aligned | | | | well as creating a sense of collaboration. And this is a |
| that plan. | | | | serious thinking flaw. |
| The second difference evolves from the thought | | | | With execution being one of the major problems |
| process of thinking. This process of higher order | | | | facing many businesses, this suggests the step by |
| thinking should include these steps: | | | | step process that being goal setting is not being |
| Why it is important to achieve this goal? During this | | | | included within the overall planning process. Yes the |
| step, both the gains, pluses or rewards need to be | | | | core foundational statements are important however |
| clearly articulated. Then the pains, minuses or | | | | if the desired results are not achieved then these |
| consequences also need to be identified. This step | | | | statements have lost their importance. This may help |
| creates and further develops the emotional | | | | to explain while many of the vision, values and |
| connection between the individual and the successful | | | | mission documents become part of a mindless |
| achievement of the desired result. | | | | repetition from the C-Level executives to the |
| Next comes more time thinking about all the potential | | | | frontline workers. |
| obstacles keeping the goal from being achieved. | | | | When strategic goal setting is infused within the |
| These challenges must be past ones that are known | | | | overall business planning process, it truly becomes the |
| as well as unknown ones that may happen. | | | | lynch pin for achieving the desired results. So if you |
| Finally, it is necessary to brain storm about all the | | | | have failed in the past to achieve your goals, |
| potential solutions to overcome each obstacle. By | | | | consider changing how you think about them and you |
| now you are probably beginning to understand that | | | | may just be surprised by the results you receive. |
| this approach is time intensive and how this is truly | | | | |