Change requires action, but successful improvement requires that the action is appropriate and well-founded.

Whilst our approach to business excellence self-assessment identifies key strengths and [typically] 20 – 40 opportunities for improvement, it is most important that subsequent improvement effort is strategically directed.  It is simply impractical to launch 20 or more simultaneous initiatives within a single organisational unit. Our strategic planning approach uses the assessment report as one of the key inputs to a strategic planning process which is always tailored to the needs and situation of the client enterprise.

Preparation for a strategic planning session includes gathering facts and data about the enterprise, its recent performance [eg Revenue, Market Share, Cost of Service, Customer Satisfaction] and drivers [eg Volume, demand/capacity forecast vs actual, utilisation, productivity, errors, complaints], and about the market environment. Gare Corporate can directly assist with process if the information is not ready to hand.

Depending on recent history and the maturity of the organisation, the strategic planning workshop could start with a review of the overall Purpose, Values and Vision, and update the key drivers and trends of the sector. Our approach then uses a ‘systems view’ of the enterprise and alignment with the Principles as the frame of reference for considering past results, a Porter 5 Forces analysis, and Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats evident from these and the Business Excellence Assessment. After considering the critical strategic adjustments to controllable market factors, operational factors and timing, the workshop is then equipped to re-define the core functions and the critical requirements of those functions.

Two streams of focus then follow:

1. Immediate operational plans for the next period based on existing capability, and
2. Identification and prioritisation of Key Capability Gaps and hence preparation of the Strategic Development Plan [which will incorporate the most relevant opportunities from the Business Excellence Assessment].

These two streams are not entirely independent, and in reality, there is often much input to the Capability debate stimulated by difficulties in meeting changing demands with existing resources.

As every enterprise is unique, we believe it is important that Strategy development is tailored to their situation and needs, including:

• • timing
• • duration
• • participants
• • inputs
• • outputs
• • subsequent progress tracking.