Differentiating and prioritizing opportunities is a primary function of the strategic plan. This is important to remember because we so often get sidetracked with all the different sections and points that typical outlines demand to be part of a ‘finished’ plan.
Remember that plan templates were developed over time by two sorts of authors. The first is the inspired, successful company that discovered a form that works. The second is the academic who has studied the inspired, successful company that discovered a form that works. From those two sources come all sorts of ‘proven’ processes and plans.
Funny thing is…The run away successes almost always deviate from the standard. They succeed specifically because they blaze an inspired trail.
So where to begin? 3 pointers:
- Start Simple and Straightforward. If your strategy feels foggy then your people will be lost in it.
- Let Your Strategy Limit You. If your strategy offers nothing but far off horizons with unlimited opportunity, then it will not help you make difficult choices when confronted with tactical decisions.
- Let Your Strategy Be About What You Do, Not About Your Competitors.You never pass a competitor by following them.