For a Strategic Plan to have the real, significant impact that it can have, it must be reviewed. Without reviews, Strategic Plans invariably fall by the wayside. The Tactics are neglected and the goals are unrealized. This is becouse Plan Reviews serve two critical and unique functions.

First, they provide the accountability the organization needs to assure that action is being combined with aspiration. The Tactics of a Plan present the means to achieving the end (goals). Without routine reviews, it is too easy for organizations to focus all their attention on the events of each day and the fires that need putting out. However, Strategic Plans involve change, and change is difficult for people and organizations, so much so that without continuous, focused effort, it usually will not be accomplished. Reviews provide everyone involved with the constant expectation of focus and accountability. Through review of progress on all current Tactics and on the Goal/vision Measures, leadership can assess if the means are being accomplished and if the ends are being achieved.

Second, Strategic Plan Reviews provide leadership with flexibility. A written Strategic Plan contains that the Tactics that the Planning Team believed, based on available information, would be the best means to achieving the goals. But our industries, markets, and organizations are dynamic and ever evolving. It is inevitable then that some Tactics may need to be reassessed, some added, and some abandoned. It is through this continuous assessment of both Tactics (current efforts) and Goal (destination) that we can navigate the organization in an ever-changing sea of change. Or, as Eisenhower said, move beyond the Plan to Planning.

Strategic Plan Reviews should be done a regular basis by Governance and Leadership. They do not need to be time consuming or tedious, but they do need to be organized and informed. The climate of the review is as important as the process. Done well, they are the key to ensuring your Vision/Goals are realized.

SCS can help with the design and/or facilitation of reviews of your current Strategic Plan, or new one developed with reviews in mind.