Nothing, really! Given that most small businesses do very little with regard to planning, a formalized strategic planning process is certainly a far better path to take than doing nothing at all. I mean that sincerely. I would much prefer that my clients immerse themselves in the strict methodology of someone else’s strategic planning system than to simply fly by the seat of their pants.
I also believe that implementing the popular notion of a strategic planning system isn’t ideal for most privately held, principal-owned small businesses. It’s not so much that there’s anything wrong with such a system; it’s more that people just don’t seem to like it. And perceptions are reality. Let’s see if you agree.
While there isn’t a standard boilerplate for what the strategic plan includes, I think you are familiar with the most common trappings:
· Mission statement
· Vision statement
· Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis
· Competitive analysis
· Core competencies
· Goals and objectives
· Strategies and tactics
What is a mission? vision? What’s the difference? Does anyone really care? The battle over semantics in most strategic planning efforts gets in the way of real breakthrough thinking.
