What are the best ways to ensure executives have enough time for strategic planning?

1 Prioritize and delegate

The first step is to help your executives prioritize their tasks and goals, and identify which ones can be delegated to other team members or external resources. You can use tools like the Eisenhower matrix or the Pareto principle to sort out the most important and urgent tasks from the less critical and time-consuming ones. By delegating some of the lower-priority tasks, your executives can free up some time and energy for strategic planning.

3 Prepare and follow up

The third step is to prepare and follow up on the strategic planning sessions. You can do this by providing your executives with relevant information, data, and resources that they need to plan effectively, such as market research, competitor analysis, customer feedback, or financial reports. You should also help them set clear and realistic objectives, agendas, and timelines for their planning sessions, and track their progress and outcomes. After each session, you should follow up with them to review their action plans, next steps, and deliverables, and remind them of their deadlines and accountability.

4 Streamline and automate

The fourth step is to streamline and automate some of the administrative tasks that can take up a lot of your executives' time and attention. You can do this by using software, tools, and apps that can help you manage their calendars, emails, contacts, documents, and expenses more efficiently and effectively. For example, you can use a calendar management app that can sync with multiple platforms, send automatic reminders and notifications, and allow easy rescheduling and cancellation. You can also use an email management app that can filter, sort, and organize their inboxes, and create templates, signatures, and canned responses.

5 Anticipate and solve problems

The fifth step is to anticipate and solve problems that can disrupt your executives' strategic planning time. You can do this by being proactive, flexible, and resourceful, and by having contingency plans in place for potential issues or emergencies. For example, you can monitor their calendars and emails for any changes or updates that might affect their planning sessions, and inform them as soon as possible. You can also handle any urgent requests or inquiries that might come up during their planning time, and either resolve them yourself or escalate them to the appropriate person.

6 Support and collaborate

The sixth and final step is to support and collaborate with your executives throughout their strategic planning process. You can do this by being available, attentive, and responsive, and by providing them with constructive feedback, suggestions, and ideas. You should also respect their preferences, styles, and needs, and adapt your approach accordingly. By supporting and collaborating with your executives, you can help them achieve their strategic goals, and also build trust, rapport, and partnership with them.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?