Holding a strategic planning meeting is a key step in setting goals and direction, and it's important to make sure everyone is on board.
In this blog post, we'll cover the basics of facilitating a successful strategic planning meeting. We'll give you tips on how to brainstorm, gather feedback, and get everyone aligned on next steps. Plus, we've got a handy checklist and some templates to help you out.
Once you've got everything in place, it's important to stay on track and follow up on your goals. Keep the momentum going with regular meetings and tracking progress to make sure you're achieving what you set out to do.
What is strategic planning?
Strategic planning is a fancy way of saying that you need to figure out where you want to go and how you're going to get there. It's a process that helps companies set goals, come up with strategies, and figure out how to use their resources to achieve those goals. Basically, it involves five important steps:
Figuring out what you want your company to look like in the future
Assessing where you are currently
Determining what your top priorities and objectives are
Assigning responsibilities to the people who will make it all happen
Measuring your progress and evaluating how well you're doing
By following these steps, companies can create a shared vision for the future and a plan to make that vision a reality. Whether you're running a small business or a big organization, strategic planning is an essential tool for success.
How to facilitate a strategic planning meeting?
First, you'll want to make sure you have an agenda and that everyone involved knows the goals and objectives of the meeting. Then, start things off with an icebreaker or warm-up activity to get people engaged and the ideas flowing. This will also ensure that everyone gets a chance to contribute their thoughts and perspectives.
Once everyone is ready to go, it's time to dive into the main part of the meeting. The direction you take will depend on your goals and objectives, but here are some ideas:
Brainstorming: If you need to determine project goals and OKRs, try starting with a brainstorming approach. You could use a template like a vision board to kick things off.
Understanding: To drive better cross-functional understanding, consider using a stakeholder map template to identify overlaps and priorities, and establish working relationships.
Evaluating: If you're in the middle of a project, use a tool to evaluate your workflows and find ways to improve your chances of success.
Empathizing: If you're trying to better empathize with your customers or find weaknesses in a user journey, use an empathy and discovery template to guide your discussion.
Last but not least, make sure to document the outcomes of the meeting and follow up on them. With proper planning and preparation, a strategic planning meeting can be a powerful tool for setting the direction of any organization.
Checklist for strategic planning meetings:
Make an agenda: Having an agenda helps everyone understand the goals and objectives of the meeting. Plus, it makes things run more smoothly.
Get everyone on the same page: Before you start, take a few minutes to make sure everyone understands what the meeting is all about.
Icebreakers are cool: Start the meeting with a fun exercise to get everyone engaged and thinking creatively.
Set ground rules: Make sure everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas and perspectives by setting some basic rules.
Hear everyone out: Encourage diverse voices and opinions to make sure you're considering all possible solutions.
Take notes: Don't forget to document the meeting outcomes and follow up on any action items. That's how you make sure your meeting had a real impact!
Strategic planning templates for your next meeting
Getting ready for a big strategic planning meeting, you might want to consider using templates to help you out. Templates can really speed up the process of creating your frameworks and make sure you don't miss anything important.
1 - Develop a strategy blueprint
There are plenty of great free or nearly free templates to choose from. One great place check out is the templates already developed in systems like Trello. They are designed to help you brainstorm and analyze key elements of your strategy. By using these types of templates, you can come up with solutions to your challenges and figure out how to reach your desired outcome.
2 - Analyze your SWOT
If you're trying to figure out where your business stands, then a SWOT analysis can be a great way to brainstorm with your team. Basically, it's an exercise that helps you evaluate your current situation and understand the opportunities and threats that could pop up.
To do a SWOT analysis, you need to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. So, ask yourself what sets you apart from the competition and what could be improved. Are there any potential threats to your business that you need to anticipate?
A well-thought-out SWOT analysis can give you valuable insights into the potential success of your initiative or product and help you prepare for any obstacles that come your way.
3 - Let's get started!
If you want to make your dreams a reality, you need to set your goals and determine specific objectives to achieve them. Once you have a clear vision and have assessed your current situation, you can start outlining your priorities and ranking your objectives.
Again – you can find some great free options in systems like Trello and we have our proprietary templates we are happy to share too.
Summary
In short, strategic planning is a way for companies and organizations to figure out what they want to achieve, come up with a plan to get there, and then use their resources wisely to make it happen. It's all about setting goals, taking action, and checking in on how things are going along the way.
We’re here to help, so please connect with us if we can help you in any way.