So, you’re thinking about getting the team together to plan for 2025. Whether you’re going virtual or gathering in person, one thing’s clear: planning for the future has never been more critical. In the past two years, businesses have seen unprecedented shifts in markets, consumer behavior, and technology. Strategies that worked a few years ago might need a rethink as we adapt to new challenges and opportunities in today’s landscape.
Having facilitated one- and two-day strategic planning sessions for over a decade, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of these sessions, especially when they’re designed to reflect today’s fast-changing world. Here’s why 2025 planning is essential—and why now’s the time to get serious about it.
Why Invest in Strategic Planning for 2025?
1. Stay Ahead of Market Shifts
In recent years, we’ve seen rapid changes in customer expectations, tech innovation, and competitive pressures. Strategic planning sessions help your team take a step back, assess these changes, and ensure your business is aligned with where the market is headed, not where it’s been.
2. Align on a Unified Vision
As businesses grow and evolve, so do their teams and goals. Bringing everyone together to discuss, refine, and align on the company’s vision and values keeps the team motivated, engaged, and working toward a shared purpose. A well-facilitated planning session aligns team members across departments, unifying efforts and priorities.
3. Identify and Address Key Challenges Early
A strategic planning session gives you time to review your progress, identify obstacles, and set clear, actionable goals. Addressing potential challenges in a structured environment helps you stay proactive instead of reactive, so you’re well-prepared to tackle any issues that arise in the coming year.
Suggested Agenda
To make the most of your planning session, consider this two-day agenda, which works well in both in-person and virtual formats:
Day 1
• Welcome and objectives overview
• Review of year-to-date performance
• Refresh on vision and values
• Break
• Review of long-term plan (3-5 years)
• Define critical success factors for 2025
• Set financial and non-financial goals for the year
• Identify initial key issues to achieve these goals
Day 2
• Review, add to, and prioritize the key issues list
• Dive into each key issue with actionable solutions
• Break
• Continue working through key issues
• Define success factors and plan how you’ll celebrate wins
• Next steps: assign responsibilities, timelines, and follow-ups
Why Use an External Facilitator?
Having an external facilitator brings objectivity and focus, allowing your team to fully engage without worrying about managing the session itself. Facilitators bring expertise in keeping discussions productive, diffusing potential roadblocks, and guiding teams toward clear, actionable outcomes. As an external facilitator with over 12 years of experience, I’ve helped businesses make their planning sessions not only more effective but also more impactful—giving them the clarity, confidence, and alignment needed to succeed in the year ahead.
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Schedule a call to discuss strategies that take your business from where it is to where you want it to be in 2025!