Strategic Planning: Student Workbook
Course Overview
This workbook provides tools and templates for conducting strategic planning. Complete exercises during the seminar and use templates afterward to develop or refine your organization's strategy.
Module 1: Strategic Planning Foundations
Strategy Assessment
Assess your organization's current strategic clarity:
How clear is our organization's long-term direction?
☐ Crystal clear - everyone knows where we're going
☐ Generally clear - most leaders understand it
☐ Somewhat unclear - strategy isn't documented or widely known
☐ Not clear - we're largely reactive
How well does our organization's strategy guide daily decisions?
☐ Extremely well - every decision is evaluated against strategy
☐ Well - most major decisions align with strategy
☐ Somewhat - some alignment, some disconnects
☐ Poorly - decisions don't typically reflect strategy
What's the biggest strategic challenge your organization faces?
Module 2: Environmental Analysis
SWOT Analysis Template
Organization/Product: _____________________________________________
STRENGTHS (Internal - What do we do well?)
WEAKNESSES (Internal - Where do we underperform?)
OPPORTUNITIES (External - What could benefit us?)
THREATS (External - What could harm us?)
Strategic Implications
How can we leverage our strengths to pursue opportunities?
Which weaknesses must we fix before threats emerge?
What threats should we monitor most closely?
Competitive Position Analysis
Current Position:
☐ Cost Leader (lowest price)
☐ Differentiated (unique value)
☐ Focused/Niche (serve specific segment)
☐ Unclear/Mixed
Key Competitors:
| Competitor | Their Position | Our Advantage | Their Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
Is our current positioning sustainable? Why/why not?
Module 3: Strategic Direction
Vision, Mission, and Values Definition
VISION (Where are we going?)
Is it clear and specific? ☐ Yes ☐ Somewhat ☐ No
Is it aspirational? ☐ Yes ☐ Somewhat ☐ No
MISSION (Why do we exist?)
Core Questions:
- Who are we? ________________________________________________________
- What do we do? ______________________________________________________
- Who do we do it for? _________________________________________________
- Why do we do it? ____________________________________________________
CORE VALUES (How do we operate?)
For each value, describe what it means in practice:
Value #1: _______________
In practice, this means: __________________________________________________
Value #2: _______________
In practice, this means: __________________________________________________
Value #3: _______________
In practice, this means: __________________________________________________
Module 4: Strategic Objectives and Strategies
Strategic Objectives by Perspective
Financial Objectives (How do we create value?)
Customer Objectives (How do customers see us?)
Operational Objectives (What must we do well?)
Organizational Capacity Objectives (What capabilities must we build?)
Social/Sustainability Objectives (What impact do we want to create?)
Strategy Development
For each key objective, define the strategy:
Objective #1: _______________________________________________________
Strategy (What will we do?):
Resource requirements:
Timeline: ____________________________________________________________
Objective #2: _______________________________________________________
Strategy (What will we do?):
Resource requirements:
Timeline: ____________________________________________________________
Objective #3: _______________________________________________________
Strategy (What will we do?):
Resource requirements:
Timeline: ____________________________________________________________
Module 5: Implementation and Execution
Strategic Roadmap - Visual Planning
Create a timeline showing:
- Key strategic initiatives
- Sequencing and dependencies
- Resource requirements
- Milestones and decision points
Year 1 Initiatives:
Year 2 Initiatives:
Year 3-5 Initiatives:
Implementation Plan
Initiative: __________________________________________________________
Owner: ______________
Description:
Success Metrics (How will we know it succeeded?)
Key Milestones:
| Milestone | Target Date | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
Resource Requirements:
- Budget: _____________________________________________________________
- People: _____________________________________________________________
- Technology: _________________________________________________________
Dependencies: (What else must happen first?)
Risks & Mitigation:
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
Quarterly Review Template
Quarter: ____________ Year: ____________
Strategic Initiative #1: ____________________________________________________
☐ On track
☐ Minor delays
☐ Significant issues
Progress to date:
Key accomplishments:
Challenges/obstacles:
Adjustments needed:
Strategic Initiative #2: ____________________________________________________
☐ On track
☐ Minor delays
☐ Significant issues
Progress to date:
Key accomplishments:
Challenges/obstacles:
Adjustments needed:
Annual Strategic Review
Year: ____________
Original Strategic Objectives:
Progress Toward Objectives:
- Objective 1: ________% progress
- Objective 2: ________% progress
- Objective 3: ________% progress
Environmental Changes That Occurred:
How Did These Changes Affect Our Strategy?
What Worked Better Than Expected?
What Worked Worse Than Expected?
What Will We Continue, Stop, or Start Doing Next Year?
CONTINUE:
STOP:
START:
Action Planning
Strategic Question I Will Focus On:
Analysis I'll Conduct:
Timeline for Decision:
Who Will I Involve in the Strategic Discussion?
Success Criteria:
Key Takeaways
The most important strategic insights from this course:
Resources for Continued Learning
- SWOT Analysis Template
- Porter's Five Forces Framework
- Strategic Roadmap Template
- Quarterly Review Questions
- Balanced Scorecard Framework
Recommended reading:
- "Good Strategy, Bad Strategy" by Richard Rumelt
- "Playing to Win" by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin