We've received several questions about strategic planning. To answer them, we have decided to present a general article on strategic planning, what's real about strategic planning, and what is fanciful thinking about it.

      First, let's distinguish between strategic planning and strategic thinking. Strategic thinking is more in the realm of creative thinking. It's not necessarily limited by any boundaries. Strategic planning, on the other hand, is a process of taking an idea (perhaps generated in a strategic thinking session), and planning it from where you are today to where you want to be in the future. Strategic planning is a much more tightly controlled process. Some people are better at strategic thinking than they are at planning, and vice versa.

Myth # 1. Strategic planning should always be done at the same time of the year. Many companies have a scheduled time for their planning; sometimes it even gets put on the calendar as a regular yearly task. It's possible, however, that changes in market conditions demand a new approach that not follow the annual financial planning cycle.

Myth # 2. There is one right way to do strategic planning. That would be interesting, if it were true. Clearly, different people, different organizations, different management consultants have a variety of approaches. At TMI, we have worked with a variety of clients, using different strategies for different organizations under different circumstances. The key is to make sure that the approach that is used produces an effective plan.

Myth # 3.  Your work is over, once the plan has been constructed. Most people understand this is silly thinking, but it's amazing to see how many executives heave a great sigh of relief when their plan/s have been completed. Obviously, implementation is required. One way to determine whether a plan is effective or not, is to see what happens to it. If nothing gets done, one has to question the validity of the plan. If nothing happens as a result of the plan, it obviously didn't grab anyone's attention. 
 

Myth # 4. Plans are based on concrete data. If only that were true, life would be a lot easier for most managers and executives. In many ways, a plan is a guess or projection as to where you will be at some point in the future. Since the future hasn't happened yet, a lot of hypothesizing has to go into the plan. If you wait for concrete data, you don't have a plan, you have "hindsight."

Myth # 5. Once you have a plan, you shouldn't deviate from it. This myth is probably the most important factor as to why so many individuals and groups don't plan. We have heard numerous people say, "Why should I plan? We'll never follow it anyway." Plans are best conceived of as "guesses" as to what is going to happen. Obviously, you want to make good guesses, but as people move closer to implementation of their plan, it require all kinds of changes. This doesn't mean the plan wasn't effective. The plan, at a minimum, provides a road map by which to decide at any moment whether a particular action should be taken, or whether some adjustment should be made.

Myth # 6. The purpose of planning is whether we achieve it. Actually, planning can be seen as a creative process. We think that people sometimes confuse sales targets with strategic planning. One advantage of linking planning to financial goals, is that it tends to keep the plan in a more realistic framework. At the same time, the process of taking strategic ideas and working through a plan to see if they can achieved is a useful business process by itself.

Myth # 7. Plans should be completely accurate. We issue a word of caution. If you place too great demands on planning, you will probably never do it. Plans will never be completely accurate, and accuracy is hardly an effective measure as to whether planning was successful. Sometimes the most important use of planning includes that it gets a variety of key players in the organization speaking the same language, looking at similar challenges, communicating openly with each other so they can learn the limitations and possibilities each face. Plans will never even be able to accurately predict everything that must be considered, let alone get all the data correct.

Myth # 8. You need a written, documented plan. Having something down on paper (or electronically) is useful, because it gives people something from which to speak. But the purpose of the plan is not the written document it produces. Its real value has to do with the movement and discussion it creates.

Please submit your questions to Time Manager Questions and Answers. If you have questions, undoubtedly someone else has the same question. By asking a question, you'll help a fellow Time Manager user become more effective.

Janelle M. Barlow, President 
TMI, USA 

Previous "Time Manager Q & A Corner" pages: 
 

#1	Key Areas and Interruptions
#2	Daily Plans and Home Offices
#3	Result Statements
#4	Reading and Responding to E-Mail
#5	Sending E-Mail
#6	Filing According to Key Areas
#7	Setting up Files for the Whole Office
#8	Controlling Loose Pieces of Paper
#9	The Value of Time
#10	More on Results Statements
#11	Managing Time on the Road
#12	How to Get Time with Someone
#13	The Downside of Goals
#14	Thinking Types and Time
#15	Feeling Types and Time
#16	Intuitive Types and Time
#17	Sensate Types and Time

Please submit your questions to Time Manager Questions and Answers by fax or e-mail . If you have questions, undoubtedly someone else has the same question. By asking a question, you'll help a fellow Time Manager user become more effective.

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