How can you balance short-term and long-term goals in strategic planning?

Goals are not Objectives. Need to understand Bd the difference , as well as the difference between strategies and objectives. Objectives are measurable.

One of my favourite quotes is "plans are useless, but planning is everything" (Eisenhower). Rarely has any plan looking more than 6-months out stayed in place. Too many things change, & you should be flexible. I do detailed quarterly planning, combined with 2-5 long term goals (1-3 years out), that can be clearly defined, measured, & achieved through multiple routes. These should align to your own ambitions & also to overarching company strategy. Utilising existing systems or metrics makes things easier to implement and track. Incremental change adds up. Creating something new can be worthwhile, but often takes more work than necessary & steps on too many toes, so you need a rock solid business case & engaged stakeholders to do it.

Strategic Planning is important for any organization, but I would like to add a slight variation on the concept, Strategic Management. Planning should involve more than one small group, and voices should be heard from across the organization, Now, I do not suggest we bog the process down but listen to different perspectives. It means the same thing! Once we look at it in the bigger sense, we use our mission, who we are, and vision, who we want to become, and set overarching goals to help achieve both. While some feel it an outdated term, I also include objectives; short term goals if you prefer, that allow us in small steps to achieve our larger goals.

Always start by having an active sponsor for the plan who can help you drive participation and engagement. Conduct a full environmental/competitive scan (within your industry and beyond) so you're working from actual data rather than someone's long-held impressions. Use that research as a base for the plan and be sure to identify measurable results in both long-term goals and quick wins to drive momentum and motivate the team. Don't be shy in identifying challenges/potential roadblocks and speak to them in your updates. Nothing helps build credibility and buy-in more than being transparent, communicating a shared vision and asking for feedback. Balance communications efforts with deliverables so employees see progress and don't disengage.

Design your strategy by defining your values. A value-driven approach will allow you to be goal-oriented, without losing sight of what is most important.

When it comes to strategic planning, it’s vital to prioritize short and long term goals. The key is to develop a model that includes a forecast and timeline so that the team engaged is aware of progress and the work occurring towards it.

It is important to remember to maximize use of resources. Concentrate on those that will benefit the organization most and go after them first.

First of all, it is important to define both short-term and long-term objectives clearly. Short-term goals are typically achievable within a year, while long-term goals extend beyond that. Ensure they align with your organization's mission and vision.

SMART Goals are such an obvious thought today, and it at this point, be like breathing. Why set a goal that isn't specific, etc. Key to success is taking small steps that are a part of the overarching goal that are more easily achieved. Those steps are important to maintain motivation.

The first step is being super clear on what metrics matter to your stakeholders. If they're not the right ones in your view, you need to make the case why others are better, early & often. I always think it's better to use existing systems rather than trying to create something new. Unless you have a strong case to change, I've found it can create more pain than gain. Once you know what you're tracking - which should be focused (the top 3-5 numbers you/your organisation really cares about), it's essential to consider what narrative you're trying to build. Numbers can mean little. The gold is usually in the analysis & story you tell about them. Think carefully about what you're presenting, to who & how you can turn them into a story

When we implement an activity, or in health care, an intervention, it important to remember that if you can't measure it, you never know when your goal is attained!

No plan is always on target. The great Dean Smith shared that when things go right, we adapt, learn from it and move on. Measure as you move forward and adapt as needed!

One of the most difficult things to do! It's a tricky step, directly linked to our business perception, but also to our personal sensitivity: fair of failing. Putting ourselves out there is a daily task and time is crucial: I realized that to waste time is the difference between "just failing" and "building on an error".

Before we celebrate, be sure the adjustments you made are now taking you where you want to go. If not, you might make a mistake!

When you achieve your goals, thank the people who helped you along the way. Handwritten thank you notes only take a few minutes to write and can make someone feel special and recognized.

Ensure your short-term goals are stepping stones to achieving the long-term goals. As you work on the day-to-day, hitting the various short-term steps, don’t lose focus of the big picture. Don’t become so enraptured with the trees that you miss the forest.

In the long run, the key to success in strategic planning is presented clearly here, but I caution not to move to celebration until you have evidence to assure you have found success! A recent college football game showed a young man celebrating, dancing his way into the endzone! He gave the defensive back trying desperately to reach him enough time to catch him, knock the ball loose, and run it back 100 yards for a touchdown on the other side. Young man was happy, but too much exuberance and bravado won't help. Celebrate at the appropriate time!

Make sure your team is on board, whether that be your company, administration or country. Taking a long-term approach needs consistent buy-in and support and so engagement and communication is essential.

It is important to remember that strategic goals do not live on paper alone. Without integrating the players who must execute and be guided by those goals, they are merely an unread statement in an annual report. Strategic goals must live within a company. If guided by the mission and values, they are more easily attained when built hand-in-hand with the people within the organization--rather than an executive process, polished and guarded by those stuck inside executive offices of corporate days long past. Strong strategic goals are collaborative, messy, and powerful.

What is missing from this article is the importance of involving stakeholders through an open and transparant way-of-working. That is what will generate long term support for your strategy and may even foster co-ownership.