Footprints of success: the five priorities of the strategic planning in the wholesale distribution

Strategic planning is a management tool. It is used to help businesses to clarify its future direction - to focus its energy and to help members of the organization working toward the same goals. The planning process adjusts the organization's direction in response to a changing environment. Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to support key decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does and why it does, with a focus on where to go and how it's going to get there.

Discipline is a prerequisite for this process because it requires laser-like persistence to build productive strategic planning initiative. The process generates a sequence of questions that helps planners examine the current reality, hypotheses testing, collect and integrate information on the present, and perform trend analysis on the environment industry of the future.

Key decisions, actions and choices must be made in order to develop a plan that provides the "Footprints to the success." The plan is ultimately no more, not less, than a series of decisions about what to do, because to do so, and when and how.

The scope of the strategy development process for any retailer depends on the individual business needs. The strategic planning process is a time and resource consumption that involves many people in the organization. This process includes both tactical and strategic applications.

A critical factor in developing a strategic plan is looking at the first game ends. Exactly what you want your company to be when you grow up? Ask these questions from the point of view of looking at five years in the future.

1. Which markets will your company be serving five years from now?

2. What products will you distribute?

3. Who are your main competitors?

4. What are your strengths?

5. What are the strengths of your competitors?

6. How has your marketing strategy changed?

7. What are your core competencies?

8. What is the size of the revenue stream?

9. How is your revenue stream segmented?

These are just a few examples of questions, but do not stop there. After trying to view the company profile five years into the future, the next step is scenario planning. And 'the old analysis "What If". What happens if you lose your main product line? What if your three major competitors to be part of a consolidator roll up? What if you radically change your product offering so you do not even look like the industry they represent today? What will the impact of e-business your strategy? Recognizing that an e-strategy should not exist in isolation from your overall business strategy. Remember that e-everything is just a tool, while the company's vision is the guide on how to use the tools.

Follow the process of Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking by a team leader strategy provides a platform for the distributor which identifies the "end game" vision, determines the key initiatives to achieve the vision, develops associated SIPs (Strategic Implementation Plans), and coaches the team in strategy execution preparing a presentation of their strategic document for the property or the commission for approval. After approval is granted, this document becomes the basis for the initiation of the overall business planning process.
Tactical issues, such as sales strategies, accountability and performance problems of compensation may also be included.

The strategy development process

Phase I: Company internal investigation

Preparation

An online survey is developed focusing on all aspects of the organization. This generates value, precise feedback from employees. This survey has been synthesized, analyzed and discussed during the kickoff meeting strategy.

End Game Definition

Through the use of brainstorming and planning scenario, the CEO and the property to create a picture of what the company will be and how it will work from 5 to 10 years in the future. This process may be simplistic, given the development of a well-crafted mission statement to make real visionary "what if" scenario analysis to identify specific desirable future goals.

Phase II:

Kick off Meeting Development Strategy - Presentation End Game

The CEO / Owner presents the analysis of the end game developed for the strategy team. Open discussion may or may not happen at this juncture. However, further discussion will take place after the CEO's apology for the meeting. The debate will be moderated by a facilitator to achieve the consent of the final game of the strategy team. The end of the game can be challenged only if another alternative is offered.

Presentation Survey

A copy of the completed questionnaire is delivered. A facilitator presents the analysis of the survey identifying key issues. A discussion of the issues is conducted, but the discussion is controlled and maintained informally, without trying to solve world hunger in this one-day meeting.

Development Strategy Kickoff

A brief presentation of 60 minutes of strategic planning is conducted by the facilitator to walk the participants through the process. The year end of the game is discussed and defined. This is intended to illustrate the beginning of the process. After the plane has completed the presentation will be made to the property, the President and the Council obtain the approval of the strategic plan before the actual launch of the strategy and execution.

Doing nothing is not an option

As we discussed, strategic planning involves anticipating the future environment and the creation of an end game analysis so that decisions are taken in the present. This means that over time, the organization shall periodically perform trend analysis in order to make the best decisions they can at any given point - you have to manage, as well as plan, strategically.

Strategic planning is not a substitute for the exercise of judgment by management. Ultimately, "the dollar will stop somewhere." The strategic planning process does not make the organization of work - it can only support the sound judgment and reasoning skills that people bring to the organization.

Strategic planning is a creative process. The fresh insight it generates may well alter past initiatives. Planning consumes resources that are valuable assets. It can be an overwhelming and daunting task, but it is a process that eventually defines the direction and activities of the organization. Despite its overwhelming nature, the benefits of planning far outweigh the hard work and pain involved in the process.

I can not stress enough that the true value of a strategic plan is the document itself. E 'in the process of creating it, which involves many of your employees from the bottom upwards. This allows them to be the best informed and most effective leaders, managers and decision makers. The time spent in the planning process varies from organization to organization and you must decide how much time you devote to the kick off meeting planning process. This may take the form of two days of withdrawal or may be an extended process. The organization will begin to realize benefits from the beginning. The key benefits for the planning process are:

o A framework and a well defined direction with unified support

o A clear vision and purpose, which is owned by all employees

or commitment to the organization and its objectives by employees

or priorities that match company resources

or analysis of the trends that creates confidence in the ability to take risks

or Liability

Readiness Factors

The planning process is an important effort and the timing is critical. There are some organizational elements that must be present, in order to ensure that the planning process will provide the maximum benefit for the organization. You must clearly understand the current state of the organization and the readiness to engage in the planning process. There are a number of preparatory steps which should be completed before the beginning. An honest-gut-check internal evaluation is recommended. Preferably, an external consultant with a fresh pair of eyes does. Also, as mentioned earlier surveys, external customers, suppliers and employees should be conducted. Other articles provide for the outbreak include:

o A commitment by the Executive Management and Property

Or resolution of all crises and life threatening problems

or property and support forums

o A commitment of resources necessary

o A willingness to think outside the box and look at new approaches for the implementation and evaluation of the "business"

o A basic understanding of scenario planning

The key resources required for the design include staff time, time management executive and finance (eg, market research, consultants, etc..)

Staff requests include:

Ø Collection and analysis of data

or Scenario Planning

Ø Involve key stakeholders

or Collection of financial information, projecting future budgets and cash flow projections

or analyze the options and potential consequences of organizational strategies and program

or End game analysis

Project Management

Project management becomes critical to the strategic planning process. Execution is the key to success. People have different expectations when they hear the word "planning".

Everyone must understand and share the same set of expectations. It 's very useful if one or two key staff members are experts in project management.

A team leader will facilitate the development of a work plan is an outline of the steps and activities that take place during the planning process. The plan specifies the tasks, results and resources to be consumed, and the persons responsible for each stage of the process.

How do you begin?

Priority 1:

If you have determined the factors of readiness through the evaluation and you have performed the necessary preparation, then you are ready to start the process. The following should be your first priority.

or Create a planning committee

o Assign a team leader

o Identify specific initiatives

Or Clarify roles (who does what in the process)

o Identify any further research or resources necessary to assist you through the process

Priority 2:

The second priority is to create the vision of the end of the game, with clarification of ownership and executive staff. The declaration basic strategy is an introductory paragraph that clearly defines the final game in understandable and measurable terms, but allows the reader to know where the company intends to go. The final game should communicate the essence of the organization. Articulating the final game indicates your focus and purposefulness. The end of the game and its core strategy should contain clear statement:

Purpose or - why the organization exists and what it seeks to achieve

or Business - the main method or activity through which the organization seeks to fulfill this purpose

Values ​​- or principles or beliefs that guide an organization's members as they pursue the organization's purpose

or long-term goals Long-specific financial

The statement sums up the basic strategy of what, why and how the objectives of an organization. Presents the image of the character, culture and the fundamental values ​​of the organization.

Priority 3:

The third priority involves the execution of the SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). A S.W.O.T. analyzes is to obtain updated information on the organization's strengths, weaknesses and performance information that will highlight the critical issues that the organization faces. These are fundamental problems facing the strategic plan. These may include a series of major problems, such as issues of funding, opportunities for new programs, changing regulations or changing needs of the client population and so on. The point is to choose the most important issues to be addressed. Critical constraints should naturally emerge from this process. Identify the critical constraints is the main reason to do a SWOT analysis.

Priority 4:

The fourth priority is to begin to develop departmental initiatives needed to support the final game.

Strategies, objectives and goals can come from individual inspiration, group discussion, formal decision-making techniques and so on - but the bottom line is that the leadership agrees on how to tackle critical.

This can turn into a process of negotiation and eating time and flexibility. It 'possible that new perspectives will emerge that changes the thrust of the final game. It 'important that planners are not afraid to go back to an earlier stage of the process and make information available to create the best possible plan.

"Changing the end of the game is not a crime."

Priority 5:

The fifth priority and the conclusion of this explanation of the process is producing a complete, documented plan. The final game was structured, the themes and objectives identified and agreed strategies. This step is essentially to put everything on paper. A planning consultant can be used to prepare the final document and submit it for review to all key decision makers (usually the board of directors, CEO and properties). This is now beginning the process of development of individual business plans consistent with departmental and support the strategic plan. These business plans should include departmental budgets.

Conclusion

Strategic planning involves looking at a longer horizon, identifying future trends and develop action plans based on the highest probability. A good strategic planning process will enable companies to anticipate changing trends and implement actions that will enable them to obtain or maintain a competitive advantage. Add scenario planning and be ready for almost any result, the market can generate their own way.

The development of a well thought out strategy that involves much throughout the organization provides the "Footprints to the success." It is now the executive team to lead the organization along the path of these footprints to follow.