Who Should Attend?

Experienced or up-and-coming leaders within an organization, at any level of management, who want to contribute to the growth and success of their organization through enhancement of its competitive advantage.

About the Programme

Strategic thinking and planning are now an essential part of a leader's daily work. In order to maintain their organization's competitive edge leaders at all levels of an organization need to evaluate and prioritise work, according to strategic goals. A successful strategic process engages everyone in the ongoing strategy of an organization, rather than leaving it to individual responsibilities.

This programme includes a series of participative activities which will help guide the delegates in enhancing the long-term success of their organization. By the end of this programme, delegates will have acquired the thought processes, framework, and analysis tools needed to engage others in the strategic thinking and planning process. They will be prepared to lead the broader strategic processes required to outperform their competitors, and reshape their organization for a successful long-term future.

Course Objectives

• To develop skills in evaluating opportunities and threats in your competitive environment
• To enhance the skills of diagnosing and managing the strengths and weaknesses within your organization
• To be able to assess current strategies
• To gain the ability to develop new strategies and provide options for your organization
• To have confidence to adapt and adopt the tools within the strategic process to different situations
• To understand the importance of analysing before planning
• To learn how to effectively lead and communicate a strategic planning effort
• To recognise the need for change, and the uncertainty and discomfort it can bring
• To understand the potential pitfalls of incomplete, inconsistent, or inflexible planning
• To balance the focus on process with an equal focus on people

What You Will Gain

• The opportunity to clarify your own understanding of strategy and how it can work for you
• A clear assessment of where your organization is in the strategic-tactical balance, and where you want it to be
• Identification of the key strategic issues confronting your organization
• The ability to practice using different strategic analysis tools to help understand your strategic environment
• How to design, plan, and implement effective strategic change projects

Programme Contents

DAY ONE

• What Is ‘Strategy’?
• The Theory & The Practice
• Differences Between Strategic Thinking & Tactical Thinking
• The Impact Of Improved Strategy On Your Business Success
• Strategic Planning Vs Strategic Management
• Thinking Strategically
• Undertaking The Strategic Process
• The Tools & Techniques For Undertaking External Analysis
  > PESTLE
  > Porter’s Five Competitive Forces
  > Competitive Advantage
  > Growth Drivers
  > Competitor Profiling
  > Breaking Industry Compromises
  > Scenario Planning
  -> Scenario Development
  > Uncertainty-Importance Grid
  > The Tools & Techniques For Carrying Out Internal Analysis
  > SWOT Analysis
  > Balanced Score Card

DAY TWO

• Strategic Planning
• The Stages Of Planning A Strategy
• Strategic Planning Techniques
• Building A Business Case
• Communicating Your New Strategy
• Implementing Strategic Change Projects
  > Understanding Change Management
  > Goal Setting, Responsibility Allocation, & Monitoring Performance
  > Motivating People To Embrace Strategic Changes
• Development Of Strategic Plan Reviews
  > Purpose Of Reviews
  > Development Review Cycle
  > Development Of Monthly Review Cycles
  > Differences Between Monthly Reviews & Yearly Reviews

2 Days - Non-Residential

Delegate spaces available on the following course dates: