My readers range from coordinators to principals in planning, architecture, engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, environmental and construction management firms, as well as general contractors. One reader, an engineering firm senior principal, had some questions about my May 8th post regarding which people to include in strategic planning sessions.
Following are his questions and my answers.
Based on your experience, is there a “sweet spot” for the size of the strategic planning group?
I don’t believe there is a “sweet spot.” I believe the firm’s lead marketing person and the CEO establish the invitee list together. You don’t want too many people — that would result in too many overhead hours
A lot depends on your process. For example, you can send questions to anyone you think would have good input — up to the entire staff. Then, the lead marketing person or outside consultant drafts a plan for the group to consider. The actual meeting can be a smaller group, charging less time. Think of a proposal where every sentence “earns its place." Now think of every person “earning his/her place” at the planning table. People only get invited if the marketing lead and CEO believe that person can make a valuable contribution.
I realize that there is not a “one-size fits all” answer for my first question. For our firm (~400 employees), if we included all owners, officers, division managers, project managers, newcomers and under 30’s, that might be half the company! Would you pick only selected people from each category?
Generally, every owner wants to be involved in the planning. But if a 400-person firm has 35 owners, and many have a 1% or smaller stake, you might cut the list at an arbitrary minimum percentage stake. Nobody gets invited just because he/she is a project manager — project managers may be great production leaders with no strategic bones in their bodies. This recognition cuts out a bunch of people.
Then divide the "under 30s" into two categories. The first is “generic under 30.” Give each person on the list a copy. Ask them which 2 or 3 people they would like to represent their demographic in the planning session. Invite the 2 or 3 with the most votes.
The second "under 30" group is people you have identified as future firm leaders. If you have more than 4 or 5 people in this group, you need to set the bar higher. By the way, you don’t publicly announce that these are future leaders, but you can tell those individuals privately and ask them not to spread the word.
Other than owners, officers and division or department managers, and market sector leads, only invite people known to be strategic thinkers. Also include all senior marketing/BD and financial/accounting staff. They will have large responsibilities for implementing the plan and monitoring the results.
Have you had experience with strategic planning starting at the division level and moving up and out to the entire company? Does it only work if it comes from Corporate down?
I see things working from Corporate downward. The departmental plan is how the division will meet its goals, and the division plan is how the company will meet its goals. You can ask department and division heads (and program heads, if you have programs that cross departments/divisions) for rough projections to guide the corporate plan, but I think the corporate plan is the real strategy and the division/department plans are the tactics.
If you need help with your corporate planning efforts, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or call me in Austin, TX, at 559-901-9596.