Strategic Planning For Dummies (eBook)

Erica Olsen holds a BA in Communications and an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird. She's frequently tapped to lecture at the University of Nevada in Reno and the University of Phoenix in Reno on management and planning topics. She hosts workshops and has spoken at conferences nationwide. As one of the developers of MyStrategicPlan, Erica has stripped strategic planning of its fate as a static document. With her online strategic planning system, any organization, regardless of size and budget, can build a plan in a matter of weeks (or even days). Once completed, the online system actually helps organizations execute the plan instead of just shoving it on a shelf. MyStrategicPlan is just one of several services offered by Erica's company, M3 Planning. M3 also does onsite strategic planning facilitation and retreats as well as market research consulting. Over the last several years, M3 has developed and reviewed hundreds of strategic plans for organizations across the country. In addition to Strategic Planning For Dummies, Erica has co-authored Strategic Planning Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Growth and Profitability, and contributes regular columns to local, regional, and national business publications.

Introduction.

Part I: Laying the Foundation for Your Strategic
Plan.

Chapter 1: What Is Strategic Planning Anyhow?

Chapter 2: Why Strategic Planning Impacts Your Growth.

Chapter 3: Getting Set Up for Successful Planning.

Part II: Looking Backward to Move Forward.

Chapter 4: Taking Lessons from the Past.

Chapter 5: Focusing on What You Do Best.

Chapter 6: Refining Your Mission, Vision, and Values.

Part III: Sizing Up Your Current Situation.

Chapter 7: Assessing Your Business and Its Capabilities.

Chapter 8: Seeing Your Business Through Your Customers'
Eyes.

Chapter 9: Assessing Your Strategic Position in a Dynamic
Environment.

Part IV: Moving Your Organization into the Future.

Chapter 10: Growth: It's Not Just for Kids Anymore.

Chapter 11: Finding New Customers.

Chapter 12: Establishing Your Strategic Priorities.

Part V: Creating and Making the Most of Your Plan.

Chapter 13: Putting Your Plan Together.

Chapter 14: Putting Your Plan to Work.

Chapter 15: Contingency Planning: Your Plan B.

Chapter 16: Planning Considerations for Entrepreneurs and
Department Managers.

Chapter 17: Planning for the Social Sectors.

Part VI: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Keep Your Strategic Plan from Hitting
the Shelf.

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Ruin Your Strategic Planning
Meeting.

Chapter 20: Ten Shortcuts to Getting Your Plan Done.

Index.