Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning

Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning

INTRODUCTION

• This  Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course gives you a robust practical framework to formulate, develop, and implement plans to achieve strategic goals and realise your vision. It shows you how to break out of reacting to day-to-day problems, so you can build a team or organization that is more proactive and resilient to change.
• A key feature of this training course is a comprehensive strategic management system that guides you through the steps needed to develop the right strategy then translate it into a business plan that provides the foundation for achieving strategic alignment of operational plans and individual objectives with your business model.

This training seminar highlights:

• The difference between good and bad strategies
• Improving the performance of an existing company / division / department when faced with major change in business conditions
• Balancing financial and non-financial objectives and goals
• Developing an existing company / division / department
• Aligning all activity to focus on the strategic goals and not be distracted by less important issues

OBJECTIVES

The central objectives of this training course are as follows:

• Learn how to develop a plan to achieve the goals you want for you and your organization (company / division / business unit / team)
• Develop strategic thinking in your organization
• Develop a strategic plan for your organization
• Identify the principles and mechanisms that drive successful implementation
• Develop measurable action plans that result in success
• Understand your underlying business model and how it relates to your strategy

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

• This highly interactive Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course encourages delegate participation through a combination of short lectures, large and small group discussion, practical exercises, case studies, and breakout sessions to practice new skills. The comprehensive course manual has been designed to be practical, and easy to use. Delegates will gain the skills and motivation they need to design, develop and implement powerful but simple strategies.

ORGANISATIONAL IMPACT

Enhanced strategic thinking and business planning enables an organization to increase stakeholder satisfaction through:

• A greater strategic perspective at all levels of the organization
• Development of the next generation of strategic leaders
• Development of specialist managers who are able and empowered to think strategically
• Better appreciation by functional specialists / managers of the challenges faced by top management in steering an organization through change
• Better internal communication at a strategic level
• Creating tomorrow’s organization out of today’s 

PERSONAL IMPACT

Delegates will develop their ability to use strategic thinking to become more proactive and build business plans to implement strategic initiatives through:

• Greater confidence in understanding the potential strategic impact of current managerial roles
• A better appreciation of the interconnected nature of major business decisions
• Understanding how to shift from reacting to problems to making things happen the way you want for you and your organization
• Knowing how to simplify—be able to deliver 3-5 critical things instead of struggling with 30-50 un-prioritised tasks
• Developing and delivering long, medium, and short-term plans

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• This  Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training seminar provides a vital knowledge base to prepare for greater responsibility and moving into more senior roles. It will benefit managers who are about to take on strategic responsibility; those who have recently done so and more established senior managers who want to update their knowledge, including:
• Business Managers
• Team Leaders
• Process Leaders
• Functional Managers
• Project Managers
• Newly-appointed Senior Managers

 Course Outline

Strategic Thinking and Planning

• The Essence of Strategy – Core Concept and Definition of Terms
• The Difference between Good Strategy and Bad Strategy
• How to Think Strategically? – Practical Techniques
• Leadership and Management, Comparing Strategy and Operations
• Strategic and Operational Goals – The Significance and Difference
• Using the Strategic Management System

Developing Strategy – The Power of Business Analysis

• Understanding the Importance and Value of a “Business Model”
• Vision, Values, Mission and Goals – Strategy as Perspective
• Analysing your Business Environment
• How to Evaluate Your Organisation’s Competencies and Capabilities?
• Resource-based Approaches to Strategy

Strategy Development, Choice and Translation

• Levels of Strategy: Corporate, Business and Functional
• Competitive Strategy – Strategy as Position
• Emergent Strategies – Strategy as Patterns
• Uncertainty and Scenarios – Strategy as Plans
• Strategic Choice – How to Select the Best Strategy
• Translating Strategy with Strategy Maps and Balanced Scorecards

Embedding Strategy in the Organisation

• Communicating Strategy and Managing Stakeholders
• How to Manage Strategic Risk?
• Alignment of Operations with Strategy
• Strategic Performance Measurement
• Managing Implementation – Effective Execution of Strategy
• Integrating Strategic and Operational Management Processes

Bringing It All Together

• Building a Strategy / Business Planning Team
• Analysing Business Models and Strategies in an Industry
• Understanding and Overcoming Psychological Bias
• Overview of the Whole Course
• Action Planning and Next Steps