Textbook strategic planning is too often bland and static. It loses the sharp focus and energy vital to execution.
What emerges is a watered-down list of broad goals. Sigh… who will implement all this and how?
“Bad strategy generates a feeling of dull annoyance when you listen to it.” (Rumelt)
Effective strategies confront the core issues of your organization. They are as much about what you will not do as they are about what you will do. They prioritize efforts. They take courage- they impose difficult choices: re-allocating scarce resources from non-strategic activities.
Strategies must be revisited as needed, not at fixed intervals- the world does not work in nicely ordained 3 years plans!
Good strategies spur a cycle of action and learning: you reflect, plan and act. Reflect, plan and act again.
