Strategic Planning

We’ve all heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Yet too often, individuals and organisations mistake ambition for direction. They set lofty goals but have no roadmap, or worse, they react to every new challenge like a ship tossed in the wind. Strategic planning is the antidote. It’s not about predicting the future; it’s about preparing for it. Whether you’re running a company, leading a not-for-profit agency, or simply trying to steer your personal life with purpose, a solid strategic plan is the compass that keeps you on course.

At its core, strategic planning is the process of defining where you want to go and how you’ll get there. It turns vision into action, chaos into clarity. Without it, you risk drifting from crisis to crisis, mistaking being busy for progress. With it, you gain focus, alignment, and a framework for making tough decisions. Let's think of it this way: strategy is the map, tactics are the steps, and strategic planning connects the two.

A good plan doesn't need to be hundreds of pages long, but it needs to be clear and actionable. Here are some essential components of a strategic plan:

• Vision & Mission: Your "why." Ask yourself and your team, what do you want to achieve long term and what purpose drives?

• Goals & Objectives: This is your "what". It's the breaking down of big picture aspirations into realistic and measurable targets.

• SWOT Analysis: SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Taking a closer look at your organisation or team may help you to better understand your current reality.

• Strategies & Action Plans: This is your "how". At this point in the game, concrete steps, timelines, and responsibilities are needed.

• KPIs - Key Performance Indicators: KPIs will help you measure success, so you know if you are making progress or just spinning your wheels.

I am often asked by clients or colleagues if strategic planning is so powerful and essential, why do so many plans fail? Throughout my professional career, I have always been honest and answered questions with truth. Often, strategic can fail if they are too vague or too rigid. A plan that's all buzzwords is useless. When a plan is carved in stone, it becomes relevant when circumstances change. To achieve success, we must not ignore external changes. A plan that doesn't account for market shifts, social trends, changes in leadership, or new technologies quickly become obsolete. One of the biggest reasons that organisations may fail is due to their lack of communication. A strategic plan kept in a drawer, or only known by executives, will not inspire or align anyone.

A strategic plan should be created as a living document and not a dusty notebook filled with documents. The best strategic plans aren't static; they are living documents. They should be reviewed, tested, and updated regularly. Just as a sailor adjusts their sails to changing winds, leaders must revisit their strategies in response to real-world conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, exposed how fragile rigid planning can be. Organisations that thrived were not the ones with the thickest binders, they were the ones who planned flexibility, pivoted quickly, and stayed grounded in their mission.

During the early days of COVID-19, many food banks in Australia faced overwhelming demand as families struggled with job losses. One nonprofit in Melbourne had a five-year plan that suddenly seemed irrelevant overnight. Instead of discarding it, they used it as a flexible framework to revisit their mission (“no family goes hungry”), reassessing their SWOT analysis, and pivoting to new strategies like contactless food distribution and digital fundraising campaigns. Because they had a plan, they weren’t paralysed by the crisis; they could adapt with purpose. So, how do you think organisations in America are being affected by the decisions of an incompetent leadership who continues down the road of destruction?

Can strategic planning be used outside of corporations or not-for-profit agencies? Yes, strategic planning isn't just for companies. On a personal level, having a plan for your career, finances, health, education, or retirement can make a huge difference between drifting and thriving. A personal strategic plan helps you set 'real' priorities, say no to distractions, and track progress toward goals that truly matter to you.

Strategic planning doesn't eliminate uncertainty but prepares you to navigate it with confidence. With a clear vision, measurable goals, and the discipline to review and adapt, you are not just reacting to change but shaping your future.

So, ask yourself, do you want to drift wherever the wind takes you, or do you want to set your compass and steer the course with intention?