Duration : 3 days
Course Description
Strategic planning is vital for ensuring an organization still will be a leader in its field 20 years in the future. The plan is a tool leadership can use to judge an organization's health at that moment.
This course is a complete guide for writing and implementing a strategic plan for your organization. Lessons delve into why a plan is needed and explains the difference between a business plan, long-term planning, and a strategic plan. The course also explains how the plan will ensure an organization's success. It explains the importance of mandates – both formal and informal; how to write a mission and vision statement and why they are important for an organization; and it explains values and how they play a vital role in how decisions are made along with their guiding force within the institution.
The lessons take a look at the issues surrounding the organizing of a plan and the types of questions that should be asked so leaders can truly learn an organization's strengths and weaknesses. The course shows how to strengthen weaknesses and also if a weakness is a bad thing or actually a good one for the organization. Risks are inherent in everyone's life and that includes doing business as an organization. The lessons teach leaders how to assess risks and prioritizing an organization's needs as the strategic plan is being constructed. A look is taken at prioritizing the tactics within the plan and the resources needed to make the plan a success.
Finally this course gives a complete outline of the main areas found within the plan and offers guidelines for all information contained under the main headings. It also gives guidance for creating ownership within the organization and how to communicate the plan. Guidance also is given for keeping the strategic plan updated and viable for years to come.
Course Requirements
This course will not require you to have previous experience in any particular area but you should have a high school reading level. No books will be required.
Course Topics
Lesson 1: Introduction to Strategic Planning. What is it, What are the Benefits?
Lesson 2: Analyzing the State of Your Organization
Lesson 3: Clarifying Organization Mandates and Mission
Lesson 4: Assessing the Environment and Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
Lesson 5: Collecting and Analyzing the Data - What are the Issues
Lesson 6: Stating the Mission, Vision and Values
Lesson 7: Formulate and Plan Immediate and Long-Term outcomes
Lesson 8: Prioritizing Needs and Identifying Risks
Lesson 9: Designing and Validating Tactics
Lesson 10: Prioritizing Tactics and Resources
Lesson 11: Outlining, Designing Plan, Including Budgets
Lesson 12: Process Design and Action Guidelines
Lesson 13: Documenting and Communicating the Plan
Lesson 14: Updating and Revising the Plan
Course Materials
All course material will be provided in the lessons and netlinks. There are no required materials to purchase before taking the class.
Grading Policy
Each lesson will include a lesson review quiz along with an assignments. Students will successfully complete this course by mastering all learning outcomes with 70% or higher overall grade.
