Understanding your strategic context

As you embark on the journey of strategic planning, it’s essential to start with a clear understanding of the information landscape. Before diving into the process, take a moment to ponder the following key questions:

Some questions to consider at the front end of a strategic planning effort

• What key information do we already have or know?
• What’s missing? What qualifies as something we “must know/have”, versus “should know/have” versus “nice to know/have”?
• What are we assuming that’s critical, but need to go out and confirm, get the facts?
• Do any of the above assessments indicate it would be worth spending some time/effort/money on more rigorous fact-gathering, e.g. through a round of interviews, surveys, constituent research?
• What are the “red herrings”, distractions where we could invest a lot of effort with little to show for it?
• Are there any “80/20” opportunities, “quick and dirty” approaches which could given us a lot of insight with minimal investment?
• What are the areas, issues that “keep us up at night”?

Considering these questions at the outset will lay a solid foundation for your strategic planning process, ensuring that your decisions are well-informed, focused, and aligned with your organisation’s goals and realities.