Question

Revise your planned strategies based on this evaluation and describe changes you have made in your plan and proposed outcomes.

Answer 1

A plan that sits on a shelf collecting dust is a waste of money and doesn't do an organization any good. The strategic plan does not move an organization into the future if it's not being utilized, updated or revised when needed. The plan should be revised when major events such as legislation affecting the organization is approved, new technology changes the face of the industry's environment, or any other major event leadership deems as necessary for changes to the strategic plan to be made.

The plan should be used to measure the organization's health and standing within its industry and be its guiding force as it moves into the future. Because of its importance and far-reaching affect, the plan should be revised and updated at planned intervals. Some organizations revise their plan every year while others wait three to five years. One of the main reasons organizations revisit their plan annually is the review process places the organizations core values and goals in each employee's mind's eye once again ensuring they are aligned with the institution's priorities. Business Insider reported that in 2013 the average employee only stayed with a company for about nine months, which makes uniting everyone around an organization's main values and goals imperative.

If the plan is not revised annually, it should be formally reviewed and any items that are outdated or creates an issue within the organization should be revised at that time. Barring any unforeseen major legislative measure or exceptional conditions deemed serious by leadership, a well-written plan for large organizations should not need annual major revisions.

But there are some areas within a plan that might need semi-annual reviews, especially in the plan's first year. As a minimum, leadership and upper management should evaluate the plan on an annual basis to measure the organization's progress toward its established goals. But at the same time, do not become so obsessed with planning and revisions of the plan that nothing ever is accomplished except for work on the plan. The plan is there to work for the organization.

On the positive side of handling the planned and even unplanned reviews and revisions is the fact that a majority of the beginning processes do not need to be repeated. Also, there were many lessons learned with the initial process, so numerous missteps will be eliminated with revisions and rewrites. Also the process is now familiar within the organization and fewer explanations will be needed to receive assistance and obtain answers while making said revisions.

Semi-annual Review

There are certain areas within a strategic plan where organizational leadership may require a semi-annual review – especially the first year of a plan. One of the obvious areas would be with the plan's budget. Leaders need to monitor expenses and ensure expenditures are falling within budgeted expectations. On the other side of the ledger, changes implemented in the plan to reduce expenses or increase revenue need to be monitored to see if they are meeting set goals too.

Other areas that could be deemed necessary for semi-annual review include areas where dramatic changes were made in the tactics used within the organization or if the whole department was revised and a new mission assigned. These areas need to be reviewed for: progress; if tactics are valid; required resources are available; training is adequate; and if goals are feasible and are being met. If not then tactics need to be revised and goals should be reevaluated and changed as deemed necessary.

This review process does not need a new plan generated but if major changes are needed in one area of the plan, that area should be revised and immediately be implemented so the organization can continue moving forward towards its ultimate goals.

For minor changes in the semi-annual review, the following items should be looked at and any updates or revisions required should be made to Reviewing tactics or departments linked to the revised tactics to ensure shared resources and the work flow has not been affectedAnnual Review Initiation

When it is time for review, leadership should have a checklist of the various leaders, managers, and shareholders who have responsibility for reviewing, revising and updating the plan. The simplest way to notify the proper individuals of this requirement is to send each person an email along with instructions and guidelines for reviewing and revising the plan. An organization's IT may be needed to assist in this process so the actual plan is available for review on a secured web site by all the necessary individuals.

For organizations requiring their plan to be reviewed annually three months out is plenty of time since the various members are familiar with the plan and the review process. If the process were to begin six months out most people will feel they just finished the review and will bury the plan in the proverbial black hole on their desk. For plans being reviewed every three or more years, it's best to start the review ball rolling six months out.

There are many ways to make everyone in the organization aware the strategic plan is being reviewed – from an article in the organization's newsletter to an e-mail from leadership or even signs in the break-room. Whatever means used, the simple purpose is to get everyone in the organization to realize the review process is beginning.

Revising and Updating the Plan

One of the first things that should take place six months out with the initial start of the review is for leadership to review the plan and discuss the gains and misses that took place during the year. At a minimum a strategic plan review by leadership should:The annual review by leadership should give strong indications on how well the plan is working so that when something is noted within the plan's review it should not come as a complete surprise to the organization. If leadership's findings did see some things were not going as planned then they should have the necessary resources aligned and ready to make the needed updates and revisions to the plan.

Also at the six month mark, each major department should form a planning committee to develop a plan of action for the various sections within the department.

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