We can’t reach a destination in our business unless we know where that destination is. Without a strategic plan, a company can roam aimlessly with no clear direction. If you’ve ever tried to paddle a canoe with others, you know you won’t be moving in the same direction without coordinated effort.

Companies need to clarify their vision and core focus first, then set long-term and short-term goals. Can you simply define your strategy in one sentence? The simpler, the better. Set a 5 to 10-year target goal that is aggressive, yet reachable. Then, define what the company will look like in three years and develop a one-year plan. 

From there, the company can develop annual and quarterly goals. That’s the normal length of time that is foreseeable for most employees. Developing these quarterly goals gives the company 90-day direction, as well as the individual goals for each person in the organization.

They say that “failure to plan means planning to fail.”

The most successful sports teams are the ones that have the right structure from top to bottom including the right executives, coaches and players in the right positions, and they execute well as a team. A successful sports team must also
have game plans, and several key plays to utilize during the game in order to win.

Similarly, a business needs to have a game plan that supports its vision. Developing the vision, of course comes first, and you can’t have an effective game plan if you don’t know what you are planning to accomplish. Then you need the right structure for your business and the right people in the right positions. If you are trying to build a world-class product that will be profitable, but you don’t have the right parts and labor, there is a high likelihood of failure. The people are your most critical element. This includes their ability to adapt and pivot when market conditions change. You set yourself up for success with the right vision, structure and people. 

Part of the process is to recognize what it is your company excels at. Make that your vision, and then build your strategy and structure to support that vision while keeping your company completely focused on that, without being attracted to all the distractions on the periphery.

 Surmani Business Coaching will work with your Leadership Team through a simple and logical process to define your vision, team central focus, long term target, three-year plan, one-year plan and quarterly goals. Integrating this process throughout your organization will set your company on a course for success.