How to Strategize

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Start with an issue you want to address.

   This is your starting point.
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   Step 2: Strategize one issue at a time.

   If you have several issues that need to be addressed, you will need several strategies.
   
   Strategy is a custom process, not a one-size-fits-all solution. , Choose the scope of what you want to achieve.
   
   You have created your ending point, and the strategy will fill out all your actions from start to end. , Perhaps you want to ask others with more experience if they think it can be done.
   
   For example, if you want to get a promotion in one year, ask a colleague in a higher position how long it took them to get into a management role.If the goal is not a feasible one, try to go for a more feasible solution, such as getting a 5 percent raise or more responsibility.
   
   Later, strategize how to get a promotion in two or five years. , At work this may be all the members of management or a department.
   
   For personal goals, this may be your partner, parents or friends., Give them a period time to think about the issues. , If someone is a human resources representative, they should strategize how best to ask for a raise.
   
   If someone else is a financial planning expert, they can strategize how the raise could improve your quality of life and motivation. , Write any potentially useful ideas., The most important tools are a pen and pencil while you bring up ideas.
   
   However, other tools can help you collect information along the way and chart progress. , You will need to quantify your success on a weekly or monthly basis.
   
   For example, if you want to gain 500 more Facebook followers, you should report on the number of total and new followers each month, in addition to the posts you have used.
   
   Facebook itself has several valuable reporting tools. , At the very least, you should have an Excel spreadsheet, but you may also want to sign up for a Google Analytics account, a CRM management software or a financial tracker like Mint.com. ,, Date those steps to indicate when they should be put into motion. ,, Organize them into bulleted points with as much information as necessary. , Make them accountable to you or other people, by asking them to submit a progress report on a specific day. , Adjust your steps accordingly to account for adjustments in deadline or approach. , Update the documents and share them whenever they change.
   
   Consider starting a Google Drive spreadsheet or document if you don’t have a common platform to use with other people in the strategic planning committee. , Review it at that time.
   
   If it has been successful, consider using similar strategies in the future.
   
   If it hasn’t been successful, learn from your mistakes and try new steps each time.
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   Step 3: Pick a goal or desired outcome.

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   Step 4: Decide whether the goal is feasible.

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   Step 5: Invite others to join your strategic planning session that have a stake in the outcome.

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   Step 6: Explain the goal to your team.

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   Step 7: Specialize.

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   Step 8: Brainstorm some ideas about how to address the issue.

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   Step 9: Get organized.

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    Step 10: Decide how you will keep track of your process.

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    Step 11: Get high tech.

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    Step 12: Decide when your final deadline to achieve a strategy will be.

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    Step 13: Break down the strategy into 5 to 10 action steps between now and the final deadline.

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    Step 14: Mark those dates in your calendar

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    Step 15: with extra reminders for projects that will take several weeks to complete.

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    Step 16: Break each step into sub-steps if necessary.

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    Step 17: Delegate tasks to others if it is a team strategy.

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    Step 18: Review the data every month.

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    Step 19: Share all strategy plans with people who are involved with the strategy.

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    Step 20: Make a date for the strategy to be complete.

Detailed Guide

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