Reframing the Future: 5 Reasons Now is the Time to Rethink and Reset Your Strategic Plan
No one can deny that 2020 was the year that lightning was produced that is still harvesting its energy in every part of our lives. The domino effect of the COVID 19 pandemic will permeate our lives for years to come. One of its greatest effects has been to force us to consider and build new paths into the future. Add to this, the effects of human behaviors on the climate and the relentless march of new technologies, and 2020 has been a wake-up call to the massive changes just around the corner.
Many of the organizations we work with have technology, climate change and pandemic advancements somewhere in their strategic and risk plans, but until last year they had not really considered the real impact of these events. Others have simply not considered some or all of these game changes. 2020 gave us the opportunity to observe, learn and lead in a changed and unknown landscape. It is not simply a new “normal COVID”. COVID is just a catalyst to force change. We know this, but fear of the unknown may be keeping some from even considering change and hoping to get back as close to how things were as possible. as possible in 2021 and beyond. If this is you, please finish here and read no further.
Time to rethink and reset
However, if you are open to the new opportunities that a ‘rethink and restart’ brings, here are five reasons to rethink your Strategic Plan, to set you on the path to success in a new and reinvented world:
1 The situation has changed. GREAT TIME!
You may have diligently performed your environmental scan and used it to build your Plan, but a lot has changed. Take a look at the situation analysis behind your plan. Do you recognize it in the current context?
2 Visionaries always see what the rest do not want
INTERRUPTION Leads to Innovation – Now is the time for the creative visionaries among us to see the path to new ideas that will help us confidently move forward in the new world order.
3 Your mission is even more important than ever
It’s time to step out of the sea of similarity and look at your mission statement through a new lens. How have recent events impacted the emotion behind your Mission Statement? Translate this emotion to create a powerful reason to review your strategic priorities.
4 The wick has been lit and there is no turning back the clock: change is inevitable
Like a ship in the ocean, when the winds change, you must also adapt to traverse stormy waters intact and on course. Steer the ship into new territory or drift over turbulent rocks as you try to sail back to shore. There is no way back.
5 Your resources, timelines, and goals are no longer aligned with your goals
A good strategic plan describes what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve these results. Changes in work patterns, online technology, environmental change – these are examples that affect the way you design activities to get results.
and bonus:
6 If you did not anticipate the impacts of a pandemic in your risk plan, what else did you miss?