Did you know that businesses using strategic plans are 12% more profitable? A strategic plan is a management tool that keeps everyone and everything (energy, resources, time, etc.) moving in the same direction. Through a strategic plan, companies also see improved control over costs, increased foresight, improved operational performance, increased transparency and insight into the business, and a sense of shared purpose.
Read how Success Trek’s initial and subsequent work with a client helped to organize and document their strategic plan and tackled other obstacles along the way.
Session #1
The Task
The CEO of a full service commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in Northwest Indiana and the South Chicago Suburbs contacted Success Trek through a referral from another client in the financial industry. The CEO wanted direction on how to keep everyone on the same page and plan more effectively for the future. A Strategic & Tactical Planning retreat was determined to be the best approach to accomplish this task.
The Action
Success Trek first queried participants prior to the retreat to understand the team’s perspective about what was working well and not so well. The open discussion during the retreat helped the team bring ideas forward to support the growth of the company.
The Result
Together, the team identified short and long-term goals, objectives, and action plans. The team stated they enjoyed the well-organized conversation that got them all going in the same direction. For the first time, they had buy-in from the entire team about what to do next and how to get it done.
Success Trek’s work during Session #1 helped the client improve their business operations by creating a strategic and tactical plan customized for their industry and their workplace situation. Although the client chose to continue the implementation and follow-through of the plan on their own, Theresa checked in periodically to learn of their progress.
Session #2
The Task
About eight months after implementing the plan on their own, challenges remained. While accomplishing much of what was agreed to, the team continued to experience breakdowns in communication, and many were unclear about who was doing what and when. The CEO asked Theresa to facilitate another strategic conversation.
The Action
Success Trek presented another pre-retreat exercise to further pinpoint the client’s concerns. During the retreat, there was more discussion about role clarity and communication strategies to keep everyone informed. The team talked about their accomplishments over the last year, industry trends that might affect their growth goals, and how to keep everyone updated on the work they were doing.
The Result
The team stated that by incorporating agendas, taking notes, assigning deadlines, and designating a person responsible for the task during their weekly meetings helped hold themselves more accountable and focused. Team members could confidently “think outside the box” about issues that held them back, bringing forward limitations that they did not know existed.
Success Trek’s work during Session #2 continued to help them improve their business operations by updating their strategic and tactical plan. Additionally, Empowered Leaders & Teams and Strengthened Workflow Processes resulted from implementing cost-effective meeting strategies.
How can we help?
If you or your team need help to identify obstacles and challenges in your workplace situation, contact Theresa, or visit our Contact Us page to schedule a 30-minute Complimentary Conversation. Reaching a goal is a journey, and Success Trek is here to take that journey alongside you.
