Creating and implementing a master plan for an organization is important to organizational success. It does however require some planning and brainstorming to develop and implement a plan. Once an organization’s strategic plan has been created, it has to be communicated to stakeholders and implemented. Implementing a strategic plan requires determining the resources required for successful implementation, as well as souring for these resources.
Implementing a strategic plan in an organization requires commitment and time investment. The vast majority of business leaders and decision-makers fail to invest the required amount of energy and time to prop a strategic plan to success and that’s the reason most organizations fail to achieve the targets set in their strategic plans. The most successful strategic plans are the ones that are implementable yet also flexible to accommodate changing market conditions.
Elements of an Effective Strategic Planning Process
Organizational master and strategic plans are created and implemented differently across different companies. Part of this is because the values of individual organizations are also fundamentally different so approach and techniques cannot be the same. However, some elements of strategic plans are universal and some are actually quite crucial to the success of master plans.
● The vision of the organization and its aspirations
● The company mission, the reason for its existence, and the aim of its creation
● The objectives of the company and the results its decision-makers look to achieve
● Organizational strategy and the mechanisms with which objectives will be achieved
● The approach and techniques with which the plan will be executed
● Tactics and short-term plans to achieve company strategic plan
The Importance of Strategic Planning
Having a single attainable strategic plan that a company’s business leaders, decision-makers, and employees are all working towards provides a lot of benefits for the long-term growth and development of a company. It also sets an organization on the path to success and long-term profitability.
It allows the creation and unification of a master plan
Having a master strategic plan allows companies to lay down a direct way of actualizing goals and objectives. Another benefit is that it allows everyone in the company including the management and shareholders to be on the same page. There’s also improved responsibility in the organization as roles are better defined and everyone has a clear picture of where the company is headed and what’s required of them.
Progress can be effectively tracked and measured
A good master plan provides measures of performance. All the individual teams and divisions in a company understand the master plan and know that the success of their individual teams affects the company’s long-term aspirations. This creates a synergy that has a positive effect on the actualization of long-term goals.
Gives an Edge over Competitors and improves sales
Organizations with clearly defined plans deploy resources to actualize them promptly. This makes them more efficient than competitors with poorly defined goals and so the former enjoy an edge over competitors in the market.
