This document outlines a 5-step process for creating a vision and strategic agenda for an organization or team. Step 1 involves reflecting on the past successes, failures, strengths and reasons for pride. Step 2 reflects on current trends, competitors, customer wants and employee feelings. Step 3 projects the future by envisioning innovations, superior customer value and cultural/structural changes. Step 4 uses the reflections to create a shared vision statement and prioritized strategic agenda. Step 5 begins working on the strategic agenda through project teams, communication of progress, and celebration of milestones and completion. The process is designed to structure and simplify visioning through practical reflection and priority setting.

1. X•Factor Solutions LLC
Think. Collaborate. Innovate.™
5-Steps for Creating a Vision and Strategic Agenda™
Creating a corporate or team vision can be a difficult, overwhelming and confusing task. An even
more daunting challenge can be the development of a strategic agenda – the action steps that will
result in the vision becoming reality. This tool has been designed to structure and simplify the
visioning process by breaking it down into practical steps. It works best in small teams of 6-12
individuals.
Step 1. Reflect on your organization’s/team’s past. Flip chart answers to the following questions:
a.) Where and why have we been successful?
b.) Where and why have we failed?
c.) What actions, capabilities and results have given us recognition and respect?
d.) Why should we be proud of our organization/team?
e.) Create a 1-2 page flip chart summary of the above.
Step 2. Reflect on your organization’s/team’s present. Flip chart answers to the following
questions:
a.) What trends, innovations and dynamics are changing the needs of our customers and
marketplace?
b.) What are our major competitors/contemporaries doing that is innovative or changing our
industry’s/function’s purpose?
c.) What do our customers really want us to deliver?
d.) How do our employees feel about our organization/team?
e.) What are our greatest assets, qualities and capabilities?
f.) Create a 1-2 page flip chart summary of the above.
Step 3. Project your organization’s/team’s future success (2-3 years out). Flip chart answers to the
following questions:
a.) What did we do that was unique, game-changing and innovative?
b.) What did we do to deliver superior value to our customers?
c.) How did our major business processes change?
d.) How did our organizational/team culture change?
e.) How did our organizational/team structure change?
f.) Create a 1-2 page flip chart summary of the above.
Copyright©, 1998 – 2015, Jim Markowsky, X•Factor Solutions LLC, 137 E. 1st St., 740.804.1354, jim.markowsky@gmail.com

2. X•Factor Solutions LLC Page 2.
Think. Collaborate. Innovate.™
Step 4. Usingthe flipchart summary sheetsfrom Steps 1-3 above, create your corporate/team vision
statementand strategicagenda as follows:
a.) Identifyandprioritize the majoractionstepsthatyourorganization/teammustcompleteinthe next 2-
3 yearsinorder to achieve astrongleadershipposition.These actionstepswill become yourstrategic
agenda.To ensure focusandclarity,nomore than6-10 strategicagendaitemsshouldbe agreedupon.
b.) Compose yourcorporate/teamvisionstatement.Thisisadescriptionof whatyourorganization/team
will lookandfeel likewhenthe actionstepsare completed. The visionneedstobe powerful enoughto
winthe mindsandhearts of your team/organization.
c.) Share your visionwithall companyemployees/teammembersandmodifyitbasedonthe ideasand
feedbackreceived.Be sure to openly andaggressively solicitfeedbackandprovide the mechanism
and/orforumfor employeesto share theiropinions,viewsandconcerns. Remember…nofeedbackis
bad feedback,so don’tputemployeesonthe defensive.Modifythe visionandstrategicagendabased
on the suggestionsandfeedbackreceived –thisiswhatmakesit a sharedvision. Re-communicate the
sharedvisiontoyourteam/employees,highlightingwhere youhave incorporatedsuggestionsand
addressedconcerns.
Step 5. Begin your corporate/team journeyand developa timeline forthe completionofstrategic agenda
itemsas highpriority projects.
a.) Appointaninfluential andcapable executiveasthe ProgramManager, with full authority,toleadthe
journeyandmanage the masterprojectplan.
b.) Selectaprojectteam leaderforeachstrategicagendaitemandgive themthe responsibility,authority
and resourcestocomplete theirinitiative asscheduled.Be sure tocreate “time out of time”for each
teamto work uninterruptedontheirproject –thisis veryimportantworkandyour future dependson
it.
c.) If 6-10 itemsare toomany to complete atonce,start withthe top2 or 3 and schedule the remaining
oneson a prioritybasis.
d.) Communicate statusandprogresswiththe entire team/organizationandopenlyaddressanyissueson
a regularbasis.
e.) Celebrate milestonesandthe completionof eachstrategicagendaitem. Create afew earlywinsto
inspire the projectteam – winningcreates positivemomentum.
f.) Have a majorcelebrationandprovide appropriate recognitionandrewardstomajorcontributors
whenyourvisioniscompletedandbecomesreality!
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
~ Marcel Proust
Copyright©, 1998 – 2015, Jim Markowsky, X•Factor Solutions LLC, 740.804.1354, jim.markowsky@gmail.com