How can you make your strategic plan more achievable?

1 Clarify your purpose

Before you dive into the details of your strategic plan, you need to have a clear and compelling purpose for your organization. Why do you exist? What value do you provide? Who do you serve? How do you differentiate yourself from others? Your purpose should be concise, memorable, and inspiring. It should guide your decisions and actions, and communicate your identity and direction to your stakeholders.

2 Involve your stakeholders

A strategic plan is not something that you can create in isolation or impose on others. You need to involve your stakeholders, such as your employees, customers, partners, and investors, in the planning process. They can provide valuable insights, feedback, and support for your plan. They can also help you identify the opportunities, challenges, and risks that you may face. By engaging your stakeholders, you can build trust, commitment, and ownership for your plan.

3 Set SMART goals

A strategic plan should have specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. These goals should reflect your purpose, vision, and values, and address the key issues and opportunities that you have identified. They should also be aligned with your resources, capabilities, and constraints. SMART goals help you focus your efforts, track your progress, and evaluate your results.

4 Define your actions

A strategic plan should also have clear and concrete actions that support your goals. These actions should specify what you will do, how you will do it, who will do it, when you will do it, and how much it will cost. They should also be prioritized and sequenced according to their importance and urgency. Defining your actions helps you translate your plan into reality and ensure accountability and responsibility.

6 Review and adjust your plan

A strategic plan is not a fixed blueprint that you have to follow rigidly. You need to review and adjust your plan regularly, based on the changing internal and external factors that may affect your organization. You can use data, feedback, and learning to assess your performance and identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement. Reviewing and adjusting your plan helps you stay relevant, responsive, and resilient.