Adapting to change is crucial for businesses to survive and thrive. Traditional strategic planning, with its rigid five-year plans, is no longer effective in today’s fast-paced environment. Adopting an adaptive approach to strategic planning, which is flexible and responsive to change, is the way forward.

NOBL Academy proposes a six-step process for adaptive strategic planning. First, it’s essential to gather insights from various sources, including staff, customers, and competitors. Second, a strategic question should be framed that encapsulates the primary challenge the organisation faces. Third, multiple answers to this question should be generated, fostering a culture of innovation and creativity.

The fourth step involves creating a prototype for each solution, allowing for experimentation and learning. Fifth, these prototypes are tested in the real world, and the team learns from the outcomes. The final step is reflection, where the team reviews the process and outcomes, learning from their experiences.

This approach recognises that change is constant, and strategic planning should be an ongoing, iterative process. It encourages experimentation, learning from failure, and continuous improvement. It’s a shift from a culture of planning to a culture of learning. The adaptive strategic planning process is about being proactive rather than reactive, and it’s about agility and resilience in the face of change.

Go to source article: https://academy.nobl.io/an-adaptive-approach-to-the-strategic-planning-process/