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A functional executive told me this week, “I have to fill in the template for strategic planning. But it shouldn’t take very long.” Based on some other tidbits, including the use of words like forecasting and budgeting, this well-funded group didn’t seem to be changing “how” they think as part of strategic planning, which typically leads to repeating the past.

In This Issue:

1. Without changing “how” we think, our “what” decisions will repeat the past.
2. “How” do we think about roles?
3. “How” do we think about hiring?
4. “How” do we think about skill?
5. Sidebar: Anti-money laundering failures won’t improve until “how” parties think changes.

Topics like “territory planning” and “carving accounts” receive considerable attention this time of year in the context of preparing for next year’s sales execution. Even ChatGPT “thinks” it’s a foundational “truth.” Let’s step back and ask some objective questions about the connectivity between strategic planning and the support work intended to help sales reps.

In This Issue:

1. Every company performs ongoing territory management.
2. Why “territory planning” and “carving” chatter?
3. Masking poor processes with “territory planning.”
4. "Territory planning" as a reaction to revenue goal setting.
5. Technology-centric and role-centric moats skew behaviors.
6. A process is only a “process” if it is repeatable and reproducible.
7. Maturity improvement is the connection to strategic planning.

In the past few issues, I’ve discussed the importance of finding our own path forward as a company rather than trying to meet external measurements. Today, I want to focus on the influence of our own history.

In This Issue:

1. None of us can recreate our past.
2. What’s a “turnaround” anyway?
3. Plan for a new beginning, not a turnaround.
4. Focus strategic planning on the “How.”
5. Sidebar: Manchester United is getting worse in “Turnaround.”

We are almost in the final quarter of 2024. In keeping with our strategic planning theme, today, I want to address company purpose. Don’t dismiss the word as too soft or reduce it to “mission” or “vision.”

In This Issue:

1. Friedman’s Doctrine.
2. Shareholder-centrism alone doesn’t work.
3. Strategy in a vacuum is impossible to decide.
4. Every company has a unique purpose.
5. M&A intentions are part of company purpose.
6. Sidebar: “DPI is the new IRR”

As we fast approach the fourth quarter of 2024, I continue to focus on strategic planning and discuss the importance of a strategy-led plan for actionability and practicality. Starting with a strategy is not easy, but creating a plan anchored to financial targets increases the probability that the company will set off on an unsustainable path.

In This Issue:

1. Financial planning mindset backfires
2. Start with strategy
3. One strategy
4. Strategy vs. Tactics
5. Who-What-How
6. Sidebar: Chasing Polish yachts

It's September. Most companies follow a January through December fiscal year and go through a strategic planning exercise starting just about now. So, we will focus on strategic planning for the next few issues of this newsletter.

In this issue:

1. Getting Started With Planning
2. Evolutionary Mindset Is Everything
3. Focus On The Why
4. Freedom From Anchoring Bias
5. Say NO to Silos
6. "We Are Volk­swa­gen — You Are Not”