Strategic Planning and Execution

Strategic plans often look convincing and change little. The planning process produces a long list of objectives with no real choices, initiatives are approved without resources or owners, the annual budget is prepared separately from the strategy, and progress reports count completed activities instead of results. Within a year, the plan is overtaken by urgent operational work and the organisation returns to business as usual.

This programme treats planning and execution as one continuous system. It moves through five stages: preparing the planning process and understanding the strategic position, making strategic choices, translating strategy into objectives, measures and initiatives, aligning resources, structures and people, and managing execution through regular reviews and adjustment. Each stage produces an output that can be used in the participant's own organisation.

Built on recognised practice. The programme references established frameworks for strategy and execution, including scenario planning, the Balanced Scorecard and strategy maps, objectives and key results (OKRs), hoshin kanri for policy deployment, portfolio management principles from the Project Management Institute, and the risk management principles of ISO 31000.

Decisions this programme improves. Which strategic priorities to commit to and which to drop; how to sequence and fund initiatives; who owns each objective and result; how to link strategy with the budget and operating plans; when to stop, accelerate or re-scope an initiative; and how often and in what form leadership should review strategy.

How it is delivered. Twenty hours across five sessions, built around one running case: an organisation launching a new five-year strategy under pressure to show early results. Participants build a strategy map, define objectives and key results, prioritise an initiative portfolio, align it with the budget and design a quarterly strategy review.

In-house option. For organisations, the programme can be tailored to your own strategy, planning calendar, templates and performance systems, and delivered as a working programme for leadership and strategy teams preparing or refreshing a plan.

Who Should Attend

Senior executives and department heads responsible for setting and delivering strategy

Strategy and planning managers who lead or coordinate the planning process

Strategy management office and performance staff who monitor execution

Portfolio, programme and transformation leaders managing strategic initiatives

Managers aspiring to strategic roles who contribute to planning and execution in their units

Objectives

Design a strategic planning process with clear roles, timeline and stakeholder input

Analyse the strategic position using environmental, competitive and capability analysis

Use scenarios to test strategic assumptions under uncertainty

Formulate strategic choices that set clear priorities and trade-offs

Translate strategy into a strategy map, objectives, measures and targets

Define and prioritise a portfolio of strategic initiatives with owners and resources

Align annual operating plans, budgets and organisational structure with strategy

Cascade objectives to units and individuals using suitable methods

Run strategy review meetings that track results and trigger decisions

Identify execution risks and manage strategic change

Course Outline

Preparing the Plan: Process, Position and Purpose

Why strategic plans fail to change outcomes
Designing the planning process: roles, governance and timeline
Vision, mission and strategic intent
External analysis: trends, stakeholders and competitors
Internal analysis: capabilities, performance and culture
National strategies and sector priorities as planning inputs

Making Strategic Choices

From analysis to strategic issues
Scenario planning and testing assumptions
Where to focus and what to stop
Evaluating options for impact, feasibility and risk
Strategic risk and risk appetite
Building leadership agreement on priorities

Translating Strategy into Objectives, Measures and Initiatives

Strategy maps and the Balanced Scorecard
Objectives and key results for focus and agility
Setting measures and targets that drive the right behaviour
Designing strategic initiatives and business cases
Prioritising and sequencing the initiative portfolio
Writing a strategic plan that people can use

Aligning Resources, Structure and People

Linking strategy with budgets and operating plans
Cascading objectives with hoshin kanri and other methods
Organisational structure and governance for execution
The role of the strategy management office
Communicating strategy to managers and employees
Leading the change that strategy requires

Managing Execution and Adapting the Strategy

The strategy execution rhythm: monthly, quarterly and annual reviews
Portfolio reviews: stop, continue, accelerate or re-scope
Performance dashboards and reporting to leadership
Using data and AI tools to support strategy monitoring, with care
Learning, adaptation and strategy refresh
Common execution pitfalls and how to avoid them
Action plan: strengthening strategy execution in your organisation

Competencies

Strategic planning process design

Strategic position analysis and scenario planning

Strategic choice and prioritisation

Strategy maps, objectives and key results

Strategic initiative portfolio management

Strategy and budget alignment

Objective cascading and accountability

Strategy review and execution management

Strategic change leadership

Live Online

Access Elite Academy’s complete training portfolio live online. Organizations, distributed teams and professionals can join scheduled interactive sessions or request any program to be delivered online, subject to scheduling and delivery requirements. Elite Academy’s Live Online Training provides access to our complete portfolio of professional programs without linking availability to a physical destination. Organizations, multi-location teams and individual professionals can join scheduled instructor-led sessions or request any program from the Elite Academy portfolio for live online delivery, subject to scheduling and delivery requirements. The format preserves real-time interaction, expert guidance and practical learning while removing the need to travel. Browse the current Live Online schedule below or request your preferred program and dates.