Brian Cute, a Fairfax executive coach at The Eastham Group, recently released a blog discussing the importance of strategic planning for business owners. Through strategic planning, owners can set priorities, focus energy and resources on those priorities, and ensure that staff are working towards agreed-upon goals.

Without strategic planning, you may find that your employees and stakeholders are unsure of how their work helps the business achieve its goals. This, in turn, may lead to dissatisfaction in the workplace, misused resources, and ineffective teamwork that prevents needed growth on a personal and business-wide level. Strategic planning unifies your entire company and clearly explains how and why each goal will be reached. Not only does this help employees feel more fulfilled in their work, it can help managers provide employees with the support they need to be successful while ensuring that the business continues to grow.

The strategic planning process encompasses three major questions, which provide the basis for each action taken. The first is "What is our purpose?" This question establishes your company's mission and gives your staff a sense of direction, acting as a compass that will guide future decisions or a reason for enacting goals. The second question, "What do we want to achieve?" shows what success looks like. If your mission is to provide high-quality healthcare to the elderly, you may want to achieve that by implementing cutting-edge technology or establishing an advisory committee, for example. The third question explains the plan that will be executed. By asking "How are we going to get there?" you can begin to establish a plan of action that will lead you to success and fulfill the mission of your company. These questions form the foundation of a comprehensive strategic plan for your company's development.

Reevaluating your strategic plan at predetermined points can help you stay on track and correct your course if necessary Speak to Brian Cute at The Eastham Group for more information about strategic planning and to develop your own plan, from implementation to reevaluation. Cute brings years of experience in executive leadership, strategy development, communication, and development to help businesses focus their efforts and grow. The Eastham Group is headquartered at 4000 Legato Rd., Suite 1100, Fairfax, VA 22033. The Eastham Group can be contacted via online at https://theeasthamgroup.com/ or by phone at 571-439-9496.

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