Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Chapter 12

Establishing Your Strategic Objectives, Goals, and Actions

In This Chapter

• Putting your SWOT to use
• Developing your strategies by looking at all the alternatives
• Striking a balance among your strategic priorities
• Transforming your priorities into strategic objectives and goals

Congratulations! If you've been working through this book from beginning to end, you've made it halfway through the strategic management process. Right about now, you may feel like the process is a little out of control. But don't worry; that's a common feeling that occurs primarily because you've collected so much information, input, and feedback that sorting through it all seems impossible. So much so that it can feel disorienting. So step back and review what you're doing. Strategic planning answers where you are now, where you're going, and how you're getting there.

Visualize a famous bridge, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, or Tower Bridge. All bridges have two primary support pillars and a span between the two, allowing one part of land to be connected with another. One of these pillars explains where you are now — your mission, values, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The pillar on the far side represents where you're going — your vision. How you get there is the span, or the road, in between — your strategic objectives, goals, and action plans.

Now because the span between the two pillars is quite long, you need to bridge the gap with long-term strategic ...