STRATEGIC PLAN

TEMPLATE
 HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE
Every organization has a different method of planning.
This template should act as a guide to create the best possible plan for your organization

ST E P 1 REVIEW AND UPDATE THE PLAN STRUCTURE

• Slide 5: Review our recommendations. Edit ‘level’ names and definitions to match your organization. E.g. If you call . . . . . . 05
Objectives ‘KPIs’, update accordingly.
• If guidance is needed, read “How to Tell if Your Plan is Structured for Execution”
• Slide 6: Use slides 6 to give an example of how the plan levels cascade in your organization . . . . . . 06

ST E P 2 IDENTIFY STRATEGIC THEMES

• Slide 7: Outline and communicate your Strategic Themes for the coming year. . . . . . . 07
• Note: The values currently available are simple examples. If you don’t have five themes, or have more than five
themes, adjust accordingly.

ST E P 3 CREATE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES & TACTICS

• We HIGHLY recommend involving your team/organization in the planning process. Read “Strategic Planning Takes a Village”
• Slide 8: Use this as an example. Use the additional slides to add detail to the plan. . . . . . . 08
• Note: The number of slides & rows are basic guidelines. Add more or remove as needed. Below are guidelines for how many
items you should build for each level
• THEME: 3-5 total • STRATEGY: 2-5 per Objective
• GOAL: 1-3 per Theme • TACTIC: 2-5 per Strategy
• OBJECTIVE: 1-2 per Goal

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 HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE (CONT.)
ST E P 4 ENSURE YOUR PLAN IS STRUCTURED FOR SUCCESS
• Each item (Goal, Objective, Strategy, or Tactic) should include the following:
• Owner: Add the ONE person who is ultimately accountable
• Timeline: Add a start & due date for when this item will be worked on and due

ST E P 5 MAKE IT MEASURABLE
• Your plan should include ‘quantifiable outcomes’ at some level (e.g. Objective)
• “What gets measured gets managed”- Include a way to measure success outlines the success of your plan
throughout the year.
• The outcome should guide whether success in the “Goal” has been met, and can be to increase a value,
decrease a value, or maintain a value

ST E P 6 ENSURE ALIGNMENT
• Create alignment with cascading elements that support and connect (See example on Slide 6) . . . . . . 06
• For more guidance on Steps 4-6, read about “Plan Optimization: The Last Mile of Strategy”

ST E P 7 CREATE A PROCESS FOR EXECUTION

• Ensure you plan has the best chance for success & create a process to track, monitor, and manage the plan
• For an example, read the Common Challenges of Plan Execution

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01 THEMES
High level areas of focus

02 GOALS
A sentence or two that describes what good looks like

DEFINITIONS
03 OBJECTIVES
Quantitative measurements tied to a goal​
- Can you put the words increase, decrease and maintain
See how the following terms align with the verbiage you use in
in the name of the objective?​ your plan, then adjust the following examples accordingly.

04 S T R AT E G I E S
Big projects / initiatives that will help you move your
objectives in the right direction​

05 TA C T I C S
Specific action items that would help you achieve your
strategies​
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 PLAN HIERARCHY: 5 LEVEL PLAN EXAMPLE

Growth
THEME

Grow the organization by 50% YOY

GOAL

Increase sales by $5M by 12/31

OBJECTIVE

Develop (account-specific) sales strategy & structure

S T R AT E G Y

Overhaul commission & bonus structure (internal sales only)

TA C T I C

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 ANNUAL STRATEGIC THEMES

THEME 1: GROWTH

THEME 2: CUSTOMER

THEME 3: PEOPLE & DIVERSITY

THEME 4: OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

THEME 5: SUSTAINABILITY

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GOAL
Grow the organization 50% YOY
OBJECTIVE 1
EXAMPLE Owner: Cindy Johnson
50%
Grow the organization 50% YOY
Increase sales by $5m by 12/31 Aligns to: GROWTH
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner: Danny Taylor
Increase retention by 10% by 12/31
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 - Develop (account-specific) sales strategy and structure Matt Smith 1/1 13/31 On Track Obj 1
S2 - Develop annual channel marketing / promotional plan John Wyatt 6/1 12/31 Not Started Obj 1
S3 - Develop annual KPIs / Scorecard to be reviewed monthly Hollis House 1/1 7/31 Off Track Obj 2
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1. Product assortment to align to account-specific approach John Wyatt 1/1 11/30 On Track Strat 1
2. Account Specific Sales Strategy and Structure Tammy James 3/1 12/5 Not Started Strat 1
3. Acct-specific annual marketing plan Pam Baker 1/1 12/30 Off Track Strat 1
4. Implement new CRM (Salesforce) Allison Parker 4/15 3/1 Not Started Strat 2
5. Overhaul commission and bonus structure (internal sales only) Toby Watkins 6/1 12/5 At Risk Strat 2
6. Explore loyalty program with independent channel Hollis House 7/15 12/30 On Track Strat 3
7. Develop and execute salesperson training Olivia Taylor 1/1 12/30 On Track Strat 3
8. Restructure customer service to better serve interior design John Wyatt 1/1 5/30 On Track Strat 3

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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GOAL
Broad aims that define accomplishment of the mission.
OBJECTIVE 1 Owner:
XX
Item
(Verb) (Item) by (Date) Aligns to: THEME X
OBJECTIVE 2 Owner:
(Verb) (Item) by (Date)
ACTION PLAN
Strategies Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
S1 -
S2 -
S3 -
Tactics Owner Start Date Due Date Initial Status Aligns to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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