Setting the right strategy and making it happen are vital to the success of any organization. While it is true that most organizations create strategic plans, it is also true that many of these plans fail. Why? There are many reasons – a bad process, lack of involvement of key stakeholders, the wrong focus, or simply a failure to implement effectively. Often, companies find it difficult to strike a balance between running the day-to-day business, and undertaking activities to build, grow, change, and position for the future.
Benefits
Personal Benefits
The concepts and tools taught in the Program will greatly enhance your strategic planning knowledge and skills, and increase your value to the organization.
Develop a strategic mindset and change the way you think about your business
Learn the latest strategic tools and techniques, and strengthen your ability to lead the strategic planning process in your organization
Improve your ability to manage change and build commitment to new strategic directions
Understand the leadership requirements to successfully implement your strategic plan
Learn to challenge conventional wisdom with confidence
Network with a group of experienced managers and executives from a variety of industries
Benefits to your Organization
Bringing leading-edge strategic planning tools and techniques into your organization will have a profoundly positive impact on the organization’s future direction.
Introduce proven strategy development tools into the management practices of your organization
Benchmark against best practices of leading companies
Integrate short- and long-term operating objectives
Anticipate and prepare for changes in the competitive landscape
Link tactical action plans to the organization’s strategic plan
Who Should AttendThose who are in a management role and who want to gain competence in creating an effective strategic planning process using planning tools and frameworks to lead organizational change.
1) Creating an Effective Strategic Planning Process
An effective strategic planning process will change the way you think about your business and allow you to develop useful strategic plans that have buy-in across the organization.
Developing a strategic mindset, and understanding the difference between strategic and operational plans
Evaluating your organization’s strategy development process
Designing a structured and disciplined framework for planning and encouraging creativity
Using the strategic planning process to challenge conventional wisdom
Evaluating the strategic landscape by identifying and examining market, regulatory, technological, and political forces that will shape your organization's future
Understanding the role of core competencies in building a strategic agenda
Learning guidelines for creating tactical action plans that are linked to the strategic plan
2) Strategic Planning Tools and Frameworks
In the Program you will discuss and assess a variety of strategic planning tools and frameworks.
Understanding how a strategic plan is the game-plan for change and growth
Creating a vision statement, mission, and objectives that are meaningful to your organization
Using competitive intelligence to anticipate competitors’ plans and identify strategically important business trends
Identifying the challenges and opportunities that are make-or-break for your organization
Evaluating which strategic platform is right for your organization
Understanding the profit drivers and financial implications of alternative strategic platforms
Locating and capitalizing on synergy
Identifying, evaluating, and selecting profitable business opportunities
3) Leading Organizational Change
The Program will teach leadership techniques that will improve the effectiveness of organizational change.
Creating champions and coalitions to drive change
Building an organization that understands the leadership requirements of deep organizational change
Understanding the role of leaders in driving change
Managing resistance to change and building a sustained commitment to change
Building a flexible organization capable of rapid and successful change
Creating ways to align the organization behind the strategic plan
Emphasizing teamwork, innovation, and commitment to continuous improvement
Building agreement among organizational stakeholders
Creating a climate for high performance
4) Implementing the Strategic Plan
The Program will teach you how to focus organizational resources on the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure its rapid deployment and generate sustained momentum.
Understanding how the organization’s culture affects strategy implementation
Ensuring the organization’s infrastructure and culture support the change effort
Building in accountabilities and the appropriate measurement scorecards
Understanding the importance of the “critical few” strategic initiatives
Making correct partnering and outsourcing decisions
Leveraging the strategic plan through alliances and partnerships
Douglas Reid is an authority on corporate strategy, and has been widely quoted in the media. As a researcher, Dr. Reid specializes in studying inter-company alliance dynamics and large alliance evolution. Prior to joining Queen's School of Business, he was vice president at Burson-Marsteller, an international consulting firm. He recently concluded six years of service as a director of Candela Energy, and is an active advisor to several companies including Bell Canada, Ontario Securities Commission, Canada Post, Shoppers Drug Mart and Royal and Sun Alliance.
