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Effective long-range strategic planning is the glue that holds companies together. Using our Six Rings Planning Model, we help businesses and organizations develop a strong strategic foundation, consisting of purpose, core values, and vision. Learn more about LRI's strategic planning consulting.

Strategic Planning Tools:

• Strategic Planning Process - This tool is useful for visualizing the steps in a typical strategic planning process, from the initial environmental scan to the narrowing of strategies and developing of related performance targets.
• Strategic Change Management - Effective strategic change management boils down to three principles: 1) focus on the first five percent 2) focus on defining the root problem and 3) find a good guide.
• Business Strategic Planning - This business strategic planning tool explains what to ask from a consultant when developing a strategic plan with a limited time scale and budget.
• Non Profit Strategic Planning - Here’s the text of an email I sent today to the president of the Board of Directors of a non profit. I think it speaks to how to do streamlined strategic planning for a non profit.
• Strategic Planning Definition - Here is a proper strategic planning definition and a list of some of the common terms used in strategic planning.
• The Six Principles of Strategic Positioning - This tool is for leaders who want to understand the six principles of successful strategic positioning. It ensures that leaders are asking the right questions about the overall goals of the company, its business model, and the value that the company creates.
• The Six Rings Strategic Planning Model - This tool defines the six elements of a strategic planning model and shows their relationship and inter-dependence.
• Organizational Vision: A Group Exercise - This tool is used to help develop an organizational vision. It is best used in a group meeting setting, where teams can complete the exercise and then share their results.
• The Three Levels of Strategic Planning - This tool shows the relationship between the three strategic planning levels and the various parts of the organization they affect.
• Corporate Strategic Planning and the First Five Percent - The “First Five Percent” approach is the idea that the quality of the first five percent of corporate strategic planning determines what happens in the rest of the process.
• Strategic Impact Matrix - This strategic impact matrix is great for assessing the relative value of various strategic options. It is useful for facilitating group discussions about alternative strategies.
• Nine Types of Strategy - This tool concisely defines nine types of strategy. It lists the factors that should drive an organization’s choice of strategy and includes helpful hints to choosing a strategy.
• Strategic Thinking and Planning - This tool describes the characteristics of successful strategic thinking and planning. It lays out a series of strategic questions, recommendations, and strategic options. It shows the traps to avoid.
• Developing a Vision Statement - This tool is used to develop a vision statement – a clear picture of where the organization wants to be in the future. It helps leaders identify the vision “drivers” of the organization.
• Vision Statement Examples - A clear vision statement sharpens the focus in an organization. Here are vision statement examples from highly successful organizations.
• Developing a Purpose Statement - Every organization needs a purpose statement. This tool explains what a purpose statement is and provides examples, a process, and four questions that need to be answered in order to develop a strong purpose statement.
• Defining a Competitive Strategy - This tool shows how to define a competitive strategy that will distinguish you from your competitors and enable your company to win and maintain market share.
• Business Plan Template - This tool details a successful business plan template. It provides a valuable checklist of information that you will need to gather – and poses questions that savvy investors will ask.
• Strategy Map - A clear strategy map sharpens the focus in an organization. It says “Here’s our direction, here’s where we’re going, here’s how we’re going to change the world.”
• 15 Key Financial Ratios - This article describes 15 key financial ratios and concepts, along with the formulas for calculating them, how they are used, and examples of good performance.