In this workshop Stephen Lynch guides you through a curated selection of some of the key elements of the RESULTS.com strategic planning process to help you identify the current issues facing your business, and then align and focus your team on the key strategic moves you need to make to set your company up for success. Plus you’ll see examples of how you can use the RESULTS.com management software platform to fully engage your people in the execution of your chosen Strategic Projects & Tasks, and how to drive increased accountability for performance.

1. Strategic Planning ->
Quarterly Priorities
Stephen Lynch

2. RESULTS.com

3. RESULTS.com - One Page Strategic Plan

6. Access your Strategic Plan from the software

7. RESULTS.com - One Page Strategic Plan

9. Review Strategic Execution

12. What were the notable achievements you / your team
accomplished?
List your answers below:

13. What did you START doing that has been of value?
List your answers below:

14. What did you STOP doing ?
List your answers below:

16. How effectively did you measure progress and keep it visible?
List your answers below:

17. In the past, we used Spreadsheets / MS Excel

18. Now we use software

19. Key Performance Indicators / Key Metrics

20. Everyone knows their own individual accountabilities

21. They can also see how the entire team is performing

22. Team leaders can drill down to identify the cause

23. Looks like one person is holding the team back

24. What are the reasons for this trend?

25. Craig

27. Take action to diagnose and solve the problem

29. How well did you hold each other accountable for hitting
KPI “Green” thresholds, & achieving Task deadlines?
List your answers below:

31. What valuable lessons did you learn
during the last planning cycle?
List your answers below:

32. What is Strategy?

38. "If everything you do needs to work
on a 3 year time horizon, then
you're competing against a lot of
people.
But if you're willing to invest on a
7 year time horizon, you're now
competing against a fraction of
those people, because very few
companies are willing to do that.
We can't realize our potential as
people or as companies unless we
plan for the long term."

41. “Companies need to operate
with one eye focused on
the short-term, and one eye
focused on the long-term.
Short-term is about projects
related to improving
the current core business,
and meeting the needs
of today’s target customers.”
Philip Kotler

42. “Long-term is NOT about
performance improvement.
It is about forgetting the past
and reshaping the business
to compete more effectively
in the future.
Often, this demands bold,
disruptive strategic moves
away from the present
to reshape the company
for future success.”
Philip Kotler

43. Gary Hamel

45. Industry Analysis

46. “The questions
remain the same.
It’s the answers
that keep changing”
Albert Einstein

49. Don’t know the answer to a question?
You need to know!
What will you do to find out?

52. Rivalry between existing competitors

53. Who are your Key Competitors? (the “players”)
What moves are they likely to make?
( Industry life cycle: introduction > growth > maturity > decline / Industry growth rate / Industry profitability / Number of competitors / Market
share / Capital requirements / Globalization / Commoditization / Cost advantages / Economies of scale / Friendly vs. Aggressive competition)
List your answers below:

54. New Entrants

57. "Firms are remarkably creative in defending
their entrenched technologies, which often
reach unimaginable heights of elegance and
design and technical performance only when
their demise is clearly predictable.“
James Utterback

58. “ Out there in some garage is an entrepreneur who's
forging a bullet with your company's name on it.
You've got one option - shoot first ”
Gary Hamel

59. What New Entrants could disrupt you?
( Industry barriers / Capital requirements / Learning requirements / Access to supplies / Access to distribution / Performance vs. incumbents /
Perceived differentiation in customers’ mind / Loyalty to incumbents / Switching costs / Retaliation by incumbents / “Innovator’s dilemma”)
List your answers below:

60. Substitutes

64. What Substitute products / services could disrupt you?
( Technology changes / Industry structure changes / Availability of substitutes / Performance of substitutes / Perceived differentiation in
customers’ mind / Switching costs / Customer desire to seek out alternative solutions to satisfy their need)
List your answers below:

65. Suppliers

66. “Who” or “What” do you need to
pay for to run your business?

68. Who are your Key Suppliers? What moves are they likely to make?
( Cost of supplies / Negotiating power of suppliers / Access to alternative sources of supply / Switching costs /
Forward integration – supplier becomes competitor)
List your answers below:

69. Customers

72. Who are your Key Customers?
What moves are they likely to make?
( Customer demographic and psychographic description / Power to dictate prices or terms / Ability to influence other customers / Customer
reviews / Perception of differentiation between vendors / Loyalty / Switching costs / Backward integration – customer becomes competitor)
List your answers below:

74. Political Factors

77. What political factors / laws / regulations are likely to impact you?
( Industry specific regulations / political spectrum left vs. right / political stability / laws / taxes / trade policy / wars / environmental issues /
health / safety / consumer laws / employment laws)
List your answers below:

78. Economic
Factors

84. What economic factors / changes in buying behaviors
are likely to impact you?
( Economic growth / interest rates / exchange rates / inflation / availability of credit / investor interest in your industry /
changes in customer purchasing habits / use of debt and leverage vs. more frugal spending)
List your answers below:

85. Social Factors

90. What social factors / trends / attitudes / behaviors
are likely to impact you?
( Demographic trends / career attitudes / health issues / environmental concerns / communication styles / social behaviors / online behaviors /
media consumption / purchasing behaviors / cultural differences / generational differences / income equality / society’s evolving attitudes,
values & beliefs)
List your answers below:

91. Technology
Factors

97. What technological factors / trends / are likely to impact you?
(New technologies / Rate of technology adoption / Impact of internet and mobile / Social media / New devices & interfaces / Jobs replaced by
technology / Business models disrupted by technology)
List your answers below:

98. “Leaders must decide:
What is our business?
What should it be?
What is not our business?
What should it not be?”
Peter Drucker

99. “Strategy is resource allocation.
When you strip away all the noise,
that’s what it comes down to.
Strategy means making clear cut
choices about how to compete.
You cannot be everything
to everybody.
You have to figure out
what to say NO to”
Jeff Immelt

100. “Many managers do not
understand the importance
of having a clear strategy.
Strategy is about
making trade-offs.
The essence of strategy
is choosing what NOT to do.”
Michael Porter

101. “The difference between
successful people
and very successful people
is that very successful people
say "no" to almost everything”
Warren Buffett

102. “The difference between
successful people
and very successful people
is that very successful people
say "no" to almost everything”
Warren Buffett

104. What do you need to START doing?
(Because it is strategically important for your long term success = “Core”)
List your answers below:

106. What do you need to STOP doing?
(Because it no longer serves you / not working out / purposeful abandonment = “Non Core”)
List your answers below:

107. RESULTS.com - One Page Strategic Plan

109. Describe your
current reality and
make it obvious !!

111. Be specific with your SWOT: Use 3-5 word phrases
“Our people” is not a strength
What is it about your people that makes your team strong?
E.g. “Highly qualified software engineers”
“Marketing” is not a weakness
What is it about marketing that is weak currently?
E.g. “Insufficient # of target customer leads”
“Communication” is not a weakness
What is not being communicated?
E.g. “Strategy not well understood”

112. Think like a VC

113. What are the top strengths / assets / competencies within your
business you can leverage (or build) in the next 12 months?
Rank your Top 5 Strengths in order:

114. What are the biggest weaknesses within your current business
that could be fixed or improved in the next 12 months?
Rank your Top 5 Weaknesses in order:

115. What opportunities can you pursue over the next 12 months
(aligned to your BHAG & 3-5 Year Strategic Moves)
that will position your company for future success?
Rank your Top 5 Opportunities in order:

116. What external threats do you need to reduce
(or closely monitor) to ensure they do not derail your plans?
Rank your Top 5 Threats in order:

117. RESULTS.com - One Page Strategic Plan

118. Current Strategic Projects

120. “Every leader needs to
clearly explain the top 3 things
the company is working on.
If you can't,
then you're not leading well”
Jeffrey Immelt

122. “SMART” Projects
S
Specific
M
Measurable
A
Achievable
R
Relevant
T
Time bound

124. What are the top 3 Strategic Projects your company (or team)
needs to execute the coming period?
- Each must address 1 or more issues described in your SWOT analysis (relevant)
- Describe the tangible end-point milestones (so you know when to celebrate)
- Balance short-term business improvement initiatives ( = improving “what is”)
vs. building long-term strategic capability for the future ( = creating “what will be”)
Current Strategic Project
1.
2.
3.
Due
Date
Person
Accountable

125. RESULTS.com - One Page Strategic Plan

126. Single Point Accountability
Many people can be involved in executing each Strategic Project,
but only 1 person can be named accountable for the overall outcome
The project leader makes sure everything “gets done”
(it does not necessarily mean they do it all themselves)
You may be leader in some projects and a follower in others

127. Balance Optimism with Realism
Set yourself up to succeed. “Stuff happens”. Fires need fighting.
Set realistic outcomes and due dates that take into account
“stuff happens” - yet still achieve your milestones.
Don’t underestimate the difficulties and challenges you will face.
Your colleagues are counting on you.
Only make promises that you know you will be able to keep.

128. Strategic Project #1
Associated Individual Tasks
Due Date
Person Accountable

129. Strategic Project #2
Associated Individual Tasks
Due Date
Person Accountable

130. Strategic Project #3
Associated Individual Tasks
Due Date
Person Accountable

131. Make time for Strategic Execution: The #1 Thing
90% of your time is spent on “Business as usual” activities
You still need to create opportunities, make sales,
deliver products and services, and collect money….
i.e. the things you do every day to pay the bills.
Set aside 10% of your time ( ½ day) every week
for strategic execution. Aim to complete 1 specific meaningful task
“the #1 thing” that will move each Strategic Project forward.

132. What does being accountable overall
for the execution of a Strategic Project mean?
–
–
–
You make sure everything “gets done” related to this Project
Colleagues with associated Tasks report to you as “project leader”
You meet with the project team on a weekly basis to make sure:
– Current status of the Project is up to date (% complete / color / commentary)
– You are aware of issues / delays - and know when it will actually be completed
– The #1 TASK to move each project forward each week is agreed and visible
– You help source the necessary support to keep things on track
– You report to the company leadership once per week showing that you fully
understand what is happening and have things under control

133. Tip: Due Dates
In the first 2 weeks of the period allow people to research and plan
the execution of their individual Projects and Tasks
Agree and “lock in” the due dates after this 2 week window
We have now set the “rules of the game” for this quarter.
We do not alter the due dates after this point
If a project falls overdue, there may be a valid reason but you must
show that the person did not complete their Project / Task on time

134. Using software to track projects

135. Strategic Projects

RED = Project behind schedule. Sound alarm!

YELLOW = Watch closely. Need help?

GREEN = Project on schedule

136. Team View

137. Drill down into the Accounting Team

138. Team View

139. Project Goal with associated Tasks

140. Project Goal with associated Tasks

141. How will you keep progress visible on your Projects?
How will you hold people accountable for Task achievement?
List your answers below:

142. Get the software demo:
www.RESULTS.com
Get the slide deck:
www.RESULTS.com/slides
Connect with Stephen Lynch: