1. Strategic Planning Process
Dennis I. Blender, Ph.D.
Blender Consulting Group
“The essence of strategy is choice.”

2. Planning Process Analysis
Past reports – review key findings, implications
Conduct SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis
Definition
Who, what, how, where
Who not, what not, how not, where not
Who else, what else, how else, where else
Critical success factors
 Core Ideology
Core purpose – fundamental reason for existence
Core values – essential beliefs and tenets
 Planning
Strategic targets – key indicators for success
Tactics – action steps (what, when, how, who)
Implementation and monitoring
Communication plan

3. Analysis - SWOT Brainstorming Generating many ideas and possibilities
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
Identify patterns, themes
Prioritization (High, Medium, Low)
Consensus
Rules of Brainstorming
The more ideas, the better
The wilder the ideas, the better
Absolutely no discussion
Absolutely no evaluation
Positive or negative
Verbal or nonverbal
Hitch-hiking is OK
Silence is OK

4. Definition
Current
Who?
What?
How?
Where?

5. Definition Else Not Who Else? What Else? How Else? Where Else?
Who Not?
What Not?
How Not?
Where Not?

6. Definition Critical Success Factors
Current Performance
Level
Required Performance
Difference
To be successful, this organization must have the ability to do the following extremely well…
5 – Outstanding 4 – Very Good 3 – Average
2 – Marginal 1 – Poor 0 – Abysmal

7. Core Ideology Core Purpose The organization's reason for being.
Reflects people’s idealistic motivations for doing the organization’s work.
It captures the soul of the organization.
3M: To solve unsolved problems innovatively
Cargill: To improve the standard of living around the world
Fannie Mae: To strengthen the social fabric by continually democratizing home ownership
Hewlett-Packard: To make technical contributions for the advancement and welfare of humanity
Lost Arrow Corporation: To be a role model and a tool for social change
Mary Kay Cosmetics: To give unlimited opportunity to women

8. Core Ideology
McKinsey & Company: To help leading corporations and governments be more successful
Merck: To preserve and improve human life
Nike: To experience the emotion of competition, winning, and crushing competitors
Pacific Theatres: To provide a place for people to flourish and to enhance the community
Sony: To experience the joy of advancing and applying technology for the benefit of the public
Telecare Corporation: To help people with mental impairments realize their full potential
Wal-Mart: To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people
Walt Disney: To make people happy

9. Core Ideology Core Values
The essential and enduring tenets of an organization
A small set of timeless guiding principles
Require no external justification; they have intrinsic value and importance to those inside the organization
Merck • Corporate social responsibility • Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of the company • Science-based innovation • Honesty and integrity • Profit, but profit from work that benefits humanity
Nordstrom • Service to the customer above all else • Hard work and individual productivity • Never being satisfied • Excellence in reputation; being part of something special

10. Core Ideology
Philip Morris • The right to freedom of choice • Winning – beating others in a good fight • Encouraging individual initiative • Opportunity based on merit, no one is entitled to anything • Hard work and continuous self-improvement
Sony • Elevation of the Japanese culture and national status • Being a pioneer – not following others; doing the impossible • Encouraging individual ability and creativity
Walt Disney • No cynicism • Nurturing and promulgation of "wholesome American values" • Creativity, dreams, and imagination • Fanatical attention to consistency and detail • Preservation and control of the Disney magic
(Copyright 1996 by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras. This article first
appeared in Harvard Business Review, September-October 1996.)

11. Planning Strategic Initiatives
Targets
Tactics
What Who When