Welcome to the twenty-sixth issue of CEE News!

A few weeks ago, I was asked by one of my clients if I could help her company with strategic planning.  My answer was, “Yes and no.” I explained that, “Yes, I would be happy to help your team create a strategic plan, but only if I can also help them with strategy execution.” This is the season of the year where many of us are busy working on strategic plans. But, if we don’t have a process to turn our strategic plans into executable goals that we track each month, those plans could be DOA (dead on arrival).

Don’t let your strategic plan be pronounced DOA. Instead, track your strategic goals with a performance management system like a balanced scorecard. The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that organizations use to:

• Communicate what they are trying to accomplish
• Align the day-to-day work that everyone is doing with strategy
• Prioritize projects, products, and services
• Measure and monitor progress toward strategic targets

The system connects the dots between big picture strategy, the operational goals, and the key performance metrics. I have my favorite balanced scorecard software platforms, but one size does not fit all. Check out this site for options that may work for your organization to help ensure that your strategic plans get executed in 2018!

Download our simple, FREE strategic planning template here.