In the Third Edition of Creating Your Strategic Plan, authors John M. Bryson and Farnum K. Alston offer further refinements to their tested strategic planning process.   Expect lots of diagrams and worksheets accompanied by clear direction and easy to understand language. 

What's your excuse?

While a number of reasons can be offered for not engaging in strategic planning, often these "reasons" are actually excuses for avoiding necessary action.  Do any of these examples sound familiar?

• There's no top management support. Think strategically about how to gain management support, perhaps for an effort aimed at addressing a single issue.
• Strategic planning won't fix everything or lead to perfection. Of course it won't, and in fact it should not address everything! Taking on too many challenges at once can overwhelm the process and the organization's capacity to manage change, but most organizations can identify and address a limited number (five to ten) of high-priority challenges.
• We're too big (or too small) for strategic planning. If the U.S. Navy, the Internal Revenue service and the smallest nonprofits can benefit from strategic planning - which they do - size is not a legitimate argument for avoiding it.
• We've already done it - some years ago. Times change. Revisit what you've done to see if it is still relevant.
• We're perfect already! Then you really need to be careful, because nothing breeds failure like success and the complacency that often comes with it.

Benefits of strategic planning

Strategic planning is intended to enhance an organization's ability to think, act and learn strategically.  The potential benefits from the process are numerous.  These benefits include:

• Increased effectiveness
• Increased efficiency
• Improved understanding and better learning
• Better decision making
• Enhanced organizational capabilities
• Improved communications and public relations
• Increased political support

Make strategic planning your priority.  Order Creating Your Strategic Plan for the low price of $44.