Create plans within plans

In my last post I talked about the need for all companies, no matter their size, to establish an effective strategic planning system.

For start-ups and small businesses this system can be flat and create one top-level strategy plan but for a medium to large company, a flat system and plan can be too unwieldy and ineffective.

Where there are different departments or business units or regions there should be a hierarchical planning system and individual plans. If you are the head of a regional office, business unit, area sales team, product line… and you have targets to meet and people to help you meet them, then establish a mini strategic planning system and a strategy plan to help you achieve your goals.

Your system needs to be based on, and linked into, the company system and your strategy plan needs to be a subset of the company plan.

Like Russian dolls, a team strategy plan should align with and sit inside the next level up and so on up to the overall company plan.

This arrangement has a number of important benefits. It makes the company plan manageable and flexible. It helps keep all areas integrated and aligned. It gives each area of the company a framework to work within. It helps motivate people because they can see better how their efforts contribute to their area’s plan and hence the corporate one. And it brings out the leaders and the best in people at all levels.

If you work for a company that doesn’t have a strategic planning system in place then create one for your area of responsibility. Not only will this help you and your team meet your targets and become more productive and effective (which will increase their motivation), it will also show initiative and leadership qualities which can only help in your career aspirations.