It’s A Process

For too many organizations, strategic planning is an event, not a process. The meeting ends with leaders strongly aligned and feeling good about the goals they have set. The “what to do” makes sense but the “how to do it” is missing and often doesn’t get done. Eventually, disappointment sets in and “dusty slide decks” get referenced. We don’t do that.

Bellrock runs strategic planning as a process – a regular rhythm with dedicated space and time to analyze performance, examine market trends, solve important problems, and plan for the future. This results in action – consistent communication of the organization’s vision, priorities, and allocation of resources (e.g., human, equipment, financial, etc.) – that guides everyone.

Imagine everyone putting their best effort into achieving a common goal. Everyone using their unique skills and talents to enthusiastically head in the same direction. It works that way in Bellrock clients.

Our Program

Our proven, comprehensive quarterly strategic planning program allows leaders to spend all of their (limited) time focused on the strategy and its implementation. Our facilitators take care of the process from start to finish so that your team can focus on the content, setting the best strategy and getting the results. While we don’t have all the answers, we can tell you where to look and hold the space for you to find them. And once found, we ensure the strategy is executable and hold you accountable to that execution one step at a time.

  • If you’ve never formally set your strategic plan, our program is for you.
  • If you’re tired of deciding on a plan you know is the right thing to do, only to watch it get set aside for more urgent day-to-day matters, this is for you too.
  • If you’re looking to tick a box, or create a plan solely for financing purposes, the rigour in our program is overkill.
A management consultant facilitating process mapping with a group of people.

“We’ve been working with Bellrock for almost 5 years in a number of capacities (strategic planning, management training, process improvement, etc.). They facilitate our annual strategic planning and all quarterly reviews. They’ve been instrumental in challenging us to think strategically, drive change throughout our business, and grow our approach to leadership as we’ve evolved. The consistent rhythm of facilitated meetings every 90 days has been critical to us tripling in size in addition to the development of an outstanding team and delivery process that is differentiated from our competition.”

What’s Included

One year of focused attention to make it the best year ever. We work with you to develop a comprehensive strategic plan through facilitated annual sessions, quarterly all-days, and monthly leadership meetings.

Preparation

  • Confidential customer surveys
  • Confidential staff survey
  • Leadership survey
  • Key stakeholder interviews
  • Financial analysis

Documentation

  • Custom pre-work and agendas
  • Strategic planning output
  • Vision summary
  • Action logs and parking lots
  • Communication plans

Facilitation

  • Annual strategic planning
  • Quarterly all day meetings
  • Monthly meetings to address challenges and opportunities
  • Two trained facilitators

Accountability

  • Monthly facilitation / 1:1s
  • Strategic plan audits
  • Action log reviews
  • Problem solving
  • Change management advice

Start Today

Organizations that make strategic planning a top priority also enjoy the greatest benefits from it. Our approach is designed to help you develop the best strategy AND equip you with the tools to execute it. Not sure if it’s the right approach for your organization? Let’s chat.

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FAQ

Whether you’re new to strategic planning or a grizzled veteran, you’ve probably got some questions.

How much time will strategic planning take?

The cagey answer is that planning is a process and that the process is ongoing. We know what you mean, though. Over the course of the year, you’ll probably invest five days. The first session is two full days.

Who should come to the strategic planning meeting?

As every consultant loves to say, “it depends.” An ideal planning group is no more than six people. In small companies, it could be just the leader. In large organisations, we’ve had 20 people in the room. But that requires a lot more break-out sessions. Let’s talk it through.

Seems like a lot – Is there a faster way to do this?

For sure. We know it’s complicated to change the tire on a moving car. It’s what we specialize in. There is probably a short-cut, we just don’t know how to do it and deliver results. What we can do is provide additional support in implementing the strategy so your leaders can focus a bit more on the day-to-day once the strategy is cast.

Is strategic planning applicable to small business?

In small business there is a lot less room for error. Decisions around what to do, how to price it, who to hire (and when)…these can literally be the difference between failure and success.

Is small business strategic planning the same as in a large company?

No. The focus and process of strategic planning changes in a smaller organization.

Why use an outsider to facilitate our strategic planning meeting?

Doing it yourself may seem like a good way to save a few bucks. However, companies often struggle to get value out of their strategic planning because they:

  1. Lack expertise in how to create a strategic plan.
  2. Don’t have the time to spend on preparing for and organizing the strategic planning process.
  3. Get stuck trying to facilitate conversations while participating in them.

Great facilitators allow companies to focus on the actual content rather than the process, and bring useful frameworks and a valuable, outside perspective.

Related Case Studies

Wondering if strategic planning with Bellrock works? Let our clients tell you.

“Since having gone through the strategic planning process with you, it’s easy to see how many other groups have not been through such a process and how it holds them back and fractures their ability to move forward.”

Related Reading

We have several actionable, relevant articles focused on strategic planning for small business, and more. Dig in.