Is your plan integration the staple in the corner?

I taught a strategic planning workshop this week. We discussed, at length, the difficulties of getting the departments of the organization to plan in conjunction with other departments.

Departmental plans can’t be written in isolation. Department plans must be created within the context of the larger plan AND in partnership with other departments.

For example, the marketing department wants to connect with clients virtually in addition to the in-person marketing team. They have to collaborate with the IT department to develop this virtual connection. If IT has no plans to resource such an endeavour then it won’t occur.

Unfortunately, in many organizations the integration of departmental plans “is the staple in the corner” when the plans are gathered together.

It takes more time for the iterative process of departments discussing draft plans, and negotiating with each other. However, the only way that organizations are going to make large leaps forward is through all departments pulling together in the same direction.

What does your departmental planning look like? Does each department create plans in distinct silos without thinking about the impact on other departments?

Using The Systems Thinking Approach^TM to Strategic Management ensures that these crucial discussions occur. Superior results are possible if everyone is pulling together!

Interested in training your people on The Systems Thinking Approach^TM to Strategic Management? Contact me Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com