Assignment

In 2013 the client conducted a strategic planning process with the assistance of another consulting organisation. The resulting 5-year Strategic Plan captured and expressed the organisation’s overall direction although the client found that it was unclear, lacked focus, and was “fluffy” when it came to guiding the preparation of the 2014-15 Operational Plan. Sotica was engaged to assist and guide the client’s senior leaders as they revised the Strategic Plan.

Actions

• The desired outcomes were defined and agreed in a written brief for the project.
• Sotica facilitated a half day workshop with the client’s senior leaders – all of whom were sent some key questions they could respond to prior to the workshop.
• The workshop focused on issues identified by the participants as of greatest strategic importance. These issues were widely explored.
• Decisions made and actions to be taken were consciously agreed and recorded.
• Sotica provided the client with a revised version of the Strategic Plan incorporating all agreed changes to date. This enabled the client to complete the revision process in an efficient, informed and timely manner.

Outcomes

• The Strategic plan has been updated and made relavant.
• Areas missing have been identified and included in the revised plan.
• Consultation occurred to ensure relevant organisational areas had appropriate input.
• Business/Operational planning has been better linked to the Strategic Plan.
• The plan is clearer to understand and has the specificity required to guide us.

Value to Client

• A clearer, more succinct Strategic Plan document exists.
• There is an improved ability to identify and set KPIs from the Strategic Plan . . .
• . . . Leading to an increased capacity to measure progress toward goal achievement.
• Improved and more consistent language being used throughout plan.
• Having Sotica facilitate the process meant that all could of the client’s key leaders could fully participate.

Feedback from Client CEO – “Sotica effectively gathered information to ensure they were able to meet our needs and get the brief right. Sotica delivered as requested and agreed. We couldn’t have asked for more. Leighton is very easy to work with”.