Begin with the End in Mind
October 12, 2022
When defining the strategic vision for an organization, project or brand, it’s a good idea to remember the sage advice of Stephen Covey and the second of his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “begin with the end in mind.” By defining the ideal outcome and end state, what it looks like, how we will measure it, and the finer details of what it really encompasses we can start to build the roadmap that will lead us to it.
We often help clients in developing project roadmaps with clearly defined milestones, resource requirements, sequenced activities, and likely obstacles they’ll encounter along the way. A common practice is to bring key stakeholders together for an off-site session that allows adequate time for problem solving and focuses the group’s attention away from their usual distractions. With proper planning and execution, these sessions (or “retreats”) can be very productive and allow the participants to accomplish much more than they would in small chunks over several weeks.
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when conducting strategic visioning sessions…
Start with clear goals - it is impossible to chart a course without defining your destination. We’ve all sat through meetings with poorly defined objectives, which inevitably devolve into wandering discussions without any clear outcomes or action items; or worse, become “whining” sessions with participants airing their grievances and eroding morale. Don’t make that mistake; define your goals and communicate them loudly & clearly so that everyone can contribute to success.
Leverage a facilitator - the value of an experienced meeting facilitator is two-fold. First, they understand the process and how to guide discussions and disparate opinions to aligned conclusions; achieving consensus is not always possible, but a good facilitator will ensure that all parties understand how the conclusion was arrived at to achieve alignment. Second, an outside facilitator provides the group with an objective third-party to act as the arbiter and process cop, keeping the meeting on track and shutting down non-productive discussions without worrying about office politics or repercussions from the boss.
Layout the ground rules - kickoff the session by communicating the goals and sharing the spirit and rules of conduct. Make it clear that the entire group is engaged in an important task, that everyone has the right to be heard and treated with respect, that it is critical to stay on track and mind the clock, and that any ideas or concerns unable to be addressed in the session will be captured in a “parking lot” for follow-up/future discussion.
Have a bias for decision-making - ensure that the group understands that decisions need to be made in the session while acknowledging that time and/or differences of opinion may necessitate cutting off debate to arrive at an answer. Communicate the process by which a decision will be made if there isn’t unanimous opinion on a topic, whether by a group leader or through a democratic process like voting or ranked scoring. Regardless of methodology, ensure that each decsion point is clearly documented and any related action items are assigned as next steps.
Prepare the participants - the week before the session, share any pre-read materials along with an agenda, so that the participants have adequate time to review the materials and understand the day’s flow. Be sure to communicate any break times and durations so they can plan check-ins with their teams back at the office or catching up on their morning emails. You should also share the goals of the session if not already apparent to the participants.
Separate the what from the how - once you have aligned on the critical decisions as a group, break into tactical teams to work through the implications and implementation planning. While the whole group should be involved in shaping the strategic vision and feel ownership for the aligned outputs, defining how those objectives will be achieved, what they’ll cost and what support they will require is best left to smaller groups with subject matter expertise and direct experience. These folks will typically be much better suited for identifying critical needs and barriers to success.
Capture the action items and next steps - armed with the aligned-upon objectives and detailed implications and plans of attack, the group should clearly define the action items and next steps needed to move the project forward. It is critical that an owner be assigned to each action item to drive accountability and that deadlines are communicated for completion. A follow-up communication should be shared with the group within 48 hours, including notes on the session, key insights, aligned decisions, parking lot items, and next steps.
End on a high note - ensure that everyone in the group feels positive about the day’s outcomes, their time spent contributing to the decisions, and the trajectory of the organization going forward. If time constrained or working remotely, this can be accomplished with a motivational closing statement acknowledging their contributions and hard work and showcasing the importance of this initiative to the organization’s success. If live and time allows, it can be productive to have a networking session for informal discussions and winding down after a long day.
By employing these best practices in planning and conducting your next strategic visioning session, you can greatly improve your odds of defining the critical activities needed to guide your organization to success while ensuring that key stakeholders feel heard and are aligned in supporting the decisions made. Good luck!