The 4 Reasons Strategic Planning is Usually a Giant Waste of Time

It’s fall. Fall evokes images of freshly scrubbed kiddos going to school, leaves on the lawn, and 4^th quarter reports. Well, I suppose images of 4^th quarter reports aren’t all that evocative. But I receive a lot of calls during the months leading up to and into the 4^th quarter of every year.

It’s pretty clear that many leaders have suddenly realized that the year is almost done and their strategic wish list is mostly undone. Yes, I said “strategic wish list”. Because that is what most strategic planning is. A wish list.

“Next year, we’d like to expand to 5 new locations, earn $X bazillion dollars, become market leaders in all we do, and new ponies for everyone.”

And, so far, there was no meaningful expansion. Revenues were a few zillion short of a bazillion. It’s hard to say there was clear internal leadership, let alone market leadership. And, again, no ponies.

It’s either that or the strategic plan describes the most likely future that was going to happen anyway. As long as nobody messed up too much.

That’s not even a wish list. That’s just depressing.

Dear Readers,

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Strategic Planning Makes a Lot of Money for Consultants

I can’t forget. A number of years ago, I was at a get-together of consultants. The conversation drifted to the question, “How many of your clients actually make real progress on or complete their strategic plans?” There was some discussion. The consensus of the group settled at, “About 20%. Silly clients.”

I was shocked. For two reasons:

• I feel it’s unethical to sell a service that so few actually benefit from.
• My clients experience an 80-90% success rate (not afraid to toot that horn).

I’ve since heard that general, low-success statistic repeated at other consulting gatherings.

What’s missing?

Strategy Isn’t a Plan

First, what is strategy? Strategy isn’t a plan. It’s a framework for making decisions.

Specifically, it’s a framework that shows how your values, vision, and priorities relate. It should be simple and understandable.

Another way of saying it, a strategy answers three questions:

• What core values shape your behaviors and decisions?
• What you are hoping to ultimately accomplish?
• What are the key priorities you need to focus on to best live your values and build your vision?

Your strategy then informs any number of plans – from marketing to staff planning, to new product development, to culture change.

But What Gets in the Way?

• Putting out fires/chasing shiny objects: Many leaders feel like just maintaining is a challenge. Either there is always some kind of unanticipated crisis, or there is an unanticipated opportunity. Or both.

Either way, attention is never consistent and is always shifting.

• When the going gets tough, the tough have other things to do: There will always be reasons not to change, not to challenge the status quo, not to dig deep, or push through.

Challenging goals usually take work, sometimes take sacrifice, always take priority. If you aren’t willing to work, sacrifice or prioritize – don’t have high expectations.

• Doing things the same way hoping for new results: It’s like New Year’s Resolutions. I like the vision of a 50lb lighter me. I want to be that person. But I don’t want to eat differently or move more.

No one thinks through this consciously. But it’s what most leaders do when they think of setting strategy. They imagine their sexy organizational selves in the future – but they don’t imagine or embrace the changes or work needed to get between here and there.

• You’re not the boss of me: One of the perks of leadership, at least senior leadership, is that there are hopefully fewer people looking over your shoulder. Leaders can sort of learn to like that autonomy.

The lack of accountability at the senior level ensures that everyone else will work to avoid personal accountability as well.

So, What’s Needed?

• Crystal Clear Focus: Be absolutely clear on what your priorities are. Do those – don’t do the other stuff. I find that most groups can only handle one unifying priority at a time.

Everything else needs to be clearly subordinate or not even touched. It’s consistent: Clients of mine who stay focused accomplish their intended results. Those who don’t…don’t.

• Relentless Execution: As Yoda said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” If people put the same energy into results as they put into their excuse-making, they’d get a lot more done.

If you set a goal, pursue it. Be committed to it. If you won’t, if you keep stalling, waiting for a better time…you need to get honest. Call things for what they are and acknowledge that the goal, and the results you expect from achieving it, just aren’t that important.

• Discipline/New Habits: Goals are most often accomplished when a set of behaviors are applied consistently over time.

Identify the key behaviors you and your team need to adopt to accomplish the new results. Get as specific as you can about those behaviors. Make sure everyone understands them the same way.

• Accountability: “What gets measured gets managed,” observed Peter Drucker. Set clear indicators of progress and success. Develop a regular schedule for checking in to review progress.

Build a culture that tolerates honesty, humility, and rigorous conversations. You won’t get better if others can’t hold up the mirror and tell you how you look.

What’s it worth to you?

I often begin strategic work with conversations about values and vision.  Basically, the group’s “Why?”. I often like to end our work on the same topic, “How will you benefit if you accomplish this strategy and build this vision?” “What would it mean if you don’t?”

It’s:

A. A reminder that they are the ones who will do the work.

B. A reminder of what’s important.

Because what is stated to be important gets forgotten or delayed an awful lot of the time. Which tells you that there were other things that weren’t acknowledged, that were more important.

So, what does following your strategy mean to you? Does it mean everything? Is it tied to your purpose in life? Does it wake you and your team up in the morning?

I’m not using hyperbole here. If your strategy always feels “take it or leave it”, chances are highest that you’ll leave it.

Leaders, particularly owners and executives, will only put their energy into things that are important to them. If you aren’t pursuing your strategy, it’s most likely due to two reasons:

• Your strategy didn’t get to the heart of things and describe what was most important. Or…
• There is a lack of alignment around your core values and vision – and no one is talking about how to get aligned.

Get real. Get deep. Open the cans of worms. Get the rats on the table. Deal with the stuff.

Then you get to experience what you’ve envisioned.

What’s it worth to you?

Take good care,

Christian

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