Most managers know the importance of a strategic planning template and recognize that it is the document that will guide the company in the pursuit of its objectives. But when it comes to getting your hands dirty, it is often difficult to organize information and turn ideas into a structured plan that is easy to pass on to teams.
Check out the steps of the strategic planning template and learn how to create a perfect plan for your business and here you can get more info to choose the best strategic planning template at Flevy so that all of it will be more beneficial for your company.
Table of Contents
5 main stages of strategic planning template and its implementation
The phases of the strategic planning template follow a logical order, ranging from the study of the business to the measurement of results.
See the steps of the strategic planning template and find out how to implement it in your company.
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1 – Mission, Vision, and Values
The first item on our list of the main stages of a company is strategic planning template which is commonly overlooked by some brands. The Mission, vision, and values are aspects that define the organization’s identity and positioning, serving as a basis for building an efficient strategic planning template.
- Mission: why the company exists
- Vision: where the company wants to go
- Values: non-negotiable principles
It is worth remembering that this information must be written and available to all members of the company.
2 – Analysis of the internal and external environments
A good strategic planning template needs to consider factors that are internal and external to the organization and that have a direct or indirect influence on the company’s processes.
SWOT Analysis
When asked what the stages of the strategic planning are, SWOT analysis is always cited. But do you know how it works? SWOT means Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Strengths and weaknesses are related to the company’s internal environment. Opportunities and Threats are linked to external factors.
Example:
S – Strengths: motivated and engaged employees, differentiated products and services, customer service, logistics, etc.
W – Weaknesses: unmotivated or disqualified professionals, obsolete technological apparatus, very bureaucratic internal processes, etc.
O – Opportunities: investing in niche markets that have not yet met their needs.
T – Threats: political and economic crises, legislation, etc.
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PESTEL Analysis
The PESTEL analysis is more focused on the external environment and considers 6 macroeconomic factors that can impact the company’s activities: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Ecological and Legal.
Example:
- Politicians: government intervention in the economy;
- Economic: interest, inflation, exchange rate;
- Social: income distribution, education, demographic data;
- Technological: management software, process automation, applications;
- Ecological: sustainable use of natural resources;
- Legal: Labor laws, consumer rights.
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3 – Setting goals and objectives
The third step in our list of strategic planning template is the definition of goals and objectives, which need to be “smart”.
This means that goals and objectives must follow the SMART standard: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and time-based.
4 – Definition of the action plan
The action plan is related to the execution of the strategies; it is he who specifies the role of each employee and the resources necessary to put into practice all the actions foreseen in the strategic planning template. In this sense, the 5W2H tool is often very useful during this stage.
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5W
- What – What to do?
- Why – Why do it?
- Where – Where to do it?
- When – When to do?
- Who – Who’s going to do it?
2H
- How – How to do it?
- How much – How much does it cost to do?
By answering these 7 questions, it becomes easier to map and execute activities efficiently.
5 – Measurement and monitoring of results
Measuring and tracking results is the last item on our list of 5 stages of the strategic planning template. And, we can say, one of the most important in the strategic planning template cycle.
Therefore, adopting mechanisms for monitoring the stages of a strategic planning template is extremely important to know if everything that has been planned is evolving according to expectations or if there is a need to make certain adjustments.
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Balanced Scorecard
The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a concept that allows us to measure and monitor actions, enabling continuous improvement. The analysis of the performance indicators is made through 4 perspectives: Financial, Customers, Internal Processes and Improvement and Growth.
The BSC allows the manager to view the company’s processes broadly and verify that the activities are being carried out in line with its objectives set out in the EP.
Key Performance Indicator – KPI
KPIs are key indicators that measure the performance of different processes in the organization. Through the information that KPIs provide, it is possible to direct resources and efforts assertively.
These indicators show in what aspects the company is doing well and in which it needs to improve.
How to use research in the elaboration of a strategic planning template
The best way to collect reliable information as you develop the strategic planning template stages and their implementation is through research.
Market and marketing research, for example, are excellent tools that can bring relevant information when it comes to understanding scenarios before defining your goals and objectives. And these are just two examples of how to get the information you need to make assertive, data-based decisions when building your strategic plan.
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