As strategists, it feels like we are always preaching about the importance of reviewing and updating your plan for the new year. So, we jumped in and drank our own Kool-Aid to review our plan against its progress and refresh our plan for 2019.
As our team worked through the process to update our annual performance, carry forward our plan, and create new goals and actions for the new year, we started to feel a renewed spirit and focus about where we are going as a team and the work we get to do with our clients. Here are three lessons we were reminded of as we held our annual plan review and refresh for 2019:
- Reorienting your team with your plan and its performance data in an annual setting provides a unique opportunity to spend time with your strategy in a more holistic setting. Annual reviews are just that – annual. It’s a chance to look at your big picture AND a year’s worth of performance. For us, we were able to glean something from our own data that sparked one of those “ah-ha” moments, helping shift our thinking about how we are going to drive our team and organization to the desired future state.
- It helps your organization renew their dedication and understanding of your “North Star.” Long-term visions don’t often change, but sometimes it’s easy to get lost in your day-to-day and loose sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Take this moment to refocus your team about where you’re going and what you’re doing collectively to get there.
- A New Year is a good place to re-energize your strategy and spice things up. As we mentioned, it doesn’t mean you need to completely shift your direction or change your “North Star.” Instead, it provides an opportunity for your team to refresh their action and priorities, maybe even added something new and exciting to renew their dedication to your direction and vision. Don’t throw your plan out the window, but rather touch it up and give it new life.
Not sure where to start with your 2019 planning and annual review? Here’s a quick guide on how you can run your own strategy review!
