Staying Focused

Failure is always an option, although not usually the result we want. Despite all the work you are doing to research, create, and implement your plan, it’s not uncommon to run into problems. The key is to recognize the problem, determine the root cause, and then manage it. Don’t try to avoid problems, but do recognize their potential for pointing out weaknesses in your plan or the need to make adjustments. Problems do not go away on their own!

Organizations will often post copies of their values, vision, and mission for everyone to see, which helps to keep people focused on what they are doing and its importance. In addition, executives and managers need to refer to the strategic plan at regular intervals. Balanced scorecards and performance reviews are opportune times to revisit the strategic plan, and to reinforce its importance.

Staying focused will avoid the following statements from being repeated within the workplace and by your shareholders:

• “We had a great plan, but then things came up and we decided to go in a different direction.”
• “We spent all kinds of time in meetings, focus groups, and employee information sessions, and then we put the plan away and didn’t refer to it for months.”

Security Considerations

While it’s important to share copies of the plan, or at least its key components, with your employees, you must also consider security issues, proprietary information, and intellectual property. Sharing information online, via email, and through various other channels is all too easy. You need to carefully determine how much information to include in the plan and the best methods for distributing it.

Your plan may contain sensitive company secrets or strategic details that you wouldn’t want your competitors to access. Ensure that you protect your interests while still providing your teams with the information they need to understand and achieve your vision.