Strategic Plan

33

T.L. Stanley

a plan is a blueprint for action

Pl a n n i n g i s a n e x c i t i n g a n dd y n a m i c p r o c e s s f u l l o f opportunities. Developing a good

plan can stimulate creative thinking

in an organization. Good planning

increases the probability of success;

therefore, risky decision making is

minimized. A good plan contains

the current problem, desired goal

and a strategy to reach the goal.

I n t o d a y ’ s f a s t - p a c e d w o r l d ,

good planning is indispensable.

A n e f f e c t i v e m a n a g e r u s e s a

carefully devised plan to solve a

problem. By using a few sound

guidelines, a good plan can be

generated.

Progressive managers study a

complex problem thoroughly. A

good plan encompasses several

fundamentals. Identifying the

following key elements of a plan

are vital.

A. Describe the problem.

B. Explore the root causes.

C. Identify the goal.

D. Explore several strategies

to reach the goal.

E. Select the best strategy to

accomplish the goal.

W h e n d e v e l o p i n g a p l a n , a

sound strategy is the final crucial

step. A comprehensive strategy

will include:

1. Identify the actions

needed to implement the

chosen strategy.

2. Organize steps into logical

and efficient sequences.

3. Work out logistics, resources

and task assignments.

4. Establish a measurement

for determining strategy

effectivensss and eventual

success.

4

5. Set up process that can

m o n i t o r p r o g r e s s a n d m a k e

c o r r e c t i o n s t h a t d e v i a t e f r o m

strategy.

Regardless of the industry, good

planning can result in remarkable

o u t c o m e s . F o r e x a m p l e ,

C a l i f o r n i a p r o d u c e s o v e r 8 0

percent of the grape crop in the

U n i t e d S t a t e s t o d a y . G o o d

p l a n n i n g o f a v a i l a b l e w a t e r

resources has turned this state’s

farmland into one of the most

p r o l i f i c g r a p e p r o d u c i n g a n d

a g r i c u l t u r a l a r e a s a n y w h e r e .

Unfortunately, there is not enough

n a t u r a l w a t e r r e s o u r c e s i n t h e

Southern and Central California

r e g i o n s t o s u s t a i n t h e c u r r e n t

a g r i c u l t u r a l e c o n o m y . I n

addition, sections of these two

regions are natural wastelands.

Water is plentiful in Northern

California and on the Colorado

River. So, plans were developed

d e c a d e s a g o t o b u i l d d a m s ,

aqueducts and canals to store water

and deliver it to Southern and

Central California. With a steady

s u p p l y o f p re c i o u s w a t e r,

California’s agricultural valleys

have become extremely fertile.

California now produces more

food than most countries. Good

planning made all this possible.

A n i n s i g h t f u l m a n a g e r w i l l

create a Planning Task Force. It is

paramount that a manager carefully

select team members and provide

a general direction. A manager

must take on the role of advisor,

sponsor and advocate. Then, the

team must be allowed generous

l a t i t u d e d u r i n g t h e p l a n n i n g

process. This task force should

consist of seven members. A t

least three members should be

non-management personnel. All

members of this task force must

be pulled from the areas that will

be impacted directly by the plan.

The plan’s success will hinge upon

operations and field personnel.

Therefore, it is critical to include

task force members with practical

operating experience. A mana-ger

with an eye on the future will

r e t a i n a l l o f t h e r e s e a r c h

conducted by the task force for

future reference.

Task force members should be

excellent employees and have a set

of identifiable proficiencies. First,

each member should be a good

report writer. Second, designing

a good plan to solve a problem is

somewhat like detective work. You

h a v e t o b e i m p a r t i a l w h i l e

i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e p r o b l e m .

Therefore, team members must

possess total objectivity.

Third, problem solving requires

t h i n k i n g o u t o f t h e b o x a n d

breaking new ground. Embracing

positive new ways of thinking and

acting is the essence of progress.

Each team member must support

c h a n g e a n d a b e t t e r w a y o f

operating.

Fourth, make sure one member

is designated as the leader, and has

the authority to keep the team on

t a s k . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e l e a d e r

s h o u l d b e o r g a n i z e d , p o s s e s s

excellent editing skills and display

a confident presentation style.

Fifth, a successful task force is

vigorous. For the most part, task

f o r c e m e m b e r s a r e b r i l l i a n t ,

possess hard charging personalities

and exhibit distinctive high octane

work habits. Highly innovative

and productive team members may

e v e n d i s p l a y e c c e n t r i c

p r o p e n s i t i e s . T h i s i s o k a y .

Because, thinking differently can

create a new and more effective way

to operate.

S u c c e s s f u l o r g a n i z a t i o n s

e n c o u r a g e a n d s u p p o r t e x t r a -

ordinary employees. However, it

is essential they are able to modify

their individual audaciousness in

order to collaborate and solve the

problem at hand. Needless to say,

teamwork must trump egocentric

behavior.

Brain-Writing is a creative way

for the task force to break the ice

and stimulate new ideas. The

leader will ask each member to

write out on one sheet of paper

the problem as they see it, what

the goal should be and a strategy

to reach the goal. They do not sign

it. The leader takes the seven

papers, makes seven large paper

suggestion charts and tapes them

to a wall.

T h e l e a d e r p r e s e n t s e a c h

s u g g e s t i o n c h a r t , a s k s e a c h

member to comment and lists on

e a c h c h a r t o n l y p o s i t i v e a n d

constructive ideas about the merits

of the suggestions. Being non-

critical at this juncture is a

fundamental component of creative

thinking.

After all seven suggestion charts

have been discussed, the leader lists

o n o n e m a t e r c h a r t t h e m o s t

w o r k a b l e i d e a s f r o m a l l s e v e n

suggestion charts. The master chart

must be posted on a wall along

55

with the seven suggestion charts.

Therefore, the task force will be able

to view charts full of i n n o v a t i v e

ideas. This will create a positive,

t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g a n d t e a m -

oriented work environment. The

planning task force must:

1. Appoint a leader and

commit to working together

unselfishly.

2. Know the purpose of the task

force and management’s

desired goal.

3. Understand fully the

problem to be solved.

4. Assign duties to each

individual task force member

and establish realistic time

lines.

5. Gather relevant data.

6. Create a flexible mind set

and be receptive to feedback.

7. Be aware of internal/external

limitations.

8. Keep plan simple and

transparent.

9. Statement of final plan must

be highly organized and well

written.

10. Leader presents final

comprehensive plan that

includes problem, goal and

strategy.

The Planning Task Force must be

open to input from employees. One

of the indispensable jobs of the task

force is to “gather relevant data.”

This includes employee suggestions.

A good plan seeks out all factors

associated with the problem.

Employees working on the front

lines and in the trenches know

firsthand the problems that keep

them from doing their jobs more

productively. Since employees

working at various levels around

the problem will ultimately be

responsible for the plan’s success,

it is imperative to include them in

helping to resolve the problem. A

solution may come from the shop

f loor.

G e n e r a l E l e c t r i c ( G E )

approaches the planning process in

a notable way. Jack Welch, CEO

of GE, has always been committed

t o e m p l o y e e i n v o l v e - m e n t i n

solving problems. He was present

i n A p r i l o f 19 9 0 , w h e n 3 0

production employees from the

a p p l i a n c e b u s i n e s s g a t h e r e d

together in Lexington, Kentucky to

come up with ways to increase

productivity.

“A union worker w as in the

middle of a presentation on how

to improve the manufacturing of

r e f r i g e r a t o r d o o r s . H e w a s

describing a part of the process

that occurred on the second f loor

of the assembly line. Suddenly,

the chief steward of the plant

jumped up to interrupt him. ‘You

don’t know what the heck you’re

talking about. You’ve never been

up there.’ He grabbed a Magic

Marker and began scribbling on

the easel in the front of the room.

Before you knew it, he had taken

over the presentation and had the

answer. His solution was accepted

immediately.”

Jack Welch was amazed and

took this program of employee

i n v o l v e m e n t t h r o u g h o u t t h e

company with incredible success.

Most employees were thankful

someone at GE had finally asked

them for their ideas. One middle-

age appliance worker summed up

t h e a d v a n t a g e s o f e m p l o y e e

i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e p l a n n i n g

process with this obser vation,

“For 25 years,” he said, “you’ve

p a i d f o r m y h a n d s w h e n y o u

could have had my brain as well,

for nothing.”

Evaluating task force members

for future leadership roles in an

o r g a n i z a t i o n i s a n i m p o r t a n t

management function. Progres-

sive managers are always on the

l o o k o u t f o r h i g h - q u a l i t y

individuals. A manager with an

eye on the future is similar to a

Major League Baseball scout. A

good scouting system is the key

to a Major League Baseball team’s

continued success.

Therefore, a scout is always

looking for exceptional talent at

high schools, colleges and open

tr youts. Being able to identify

baseball skills is paramount. In

addition, a successful baseball

p l a y e r w i l l p o s s e s s a p o s i t i v e

attitude toward learning.

L i k e w i s e , a m a n a g e r o f t h e

Planning Task Force needs to

understand each team member’s

contributions and responses to

various phases of the planning

process. A manager must access

6

each team member’s attributes.

This includes the ability to think

critically, solve problems and

create a good plan. An organ-

ization’s future will depend upon

recognizing, encouraging and

p r o m o t i n g e x c e p t i o n a l

employees.

G o o d p l a n n i n g w i l l m a k e

problem-solving more effective.

With a good plan, a manager can

i n c r e a s e t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f

successful outcomes, and meet

t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f o u r h i g h l y

c o m p e t i t i v e g l o b a l e c o n o m y .

There is no substitute for a good

plan.

T. L. Stanley is a free-lance writer

w i t h 17 year s o f m a n a g e - m e n t

experience. He holds a B.S. and

M . S . i n O r g a n i z a t i o n a l

Management from the University

o f L a Ve r n e a n d a n M . A . i n

Organizational Leadership from

Chapman University.

SV

Copyright of Supervision is the property of National Research Bureau and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.