The well known quote by Jack Welch, "Control your destiny or someone else will" exemplifies the importance of focusing on the future in any organization today. As a management consultant, I often receive phone calls requesting my services to facilitate a strategic planning process. As part of my initial inquiries, I ask, "What is precipitating this need?" and "Have you ever embarked on a process before, and, if so, when and with what results?"

These questions set the stage for me to understand why this client wants to engage in the planning process and more importantly how committed they are to the process. Without commitment the time spent is money down the drain. Nice documents are produced to sit on a shelf and the time is remembered for "the time we had together at a wonderful off-site location with good food."

Every organization, regardless of size, needs to set direction for the future. Without a plan, there can be no alignment. Without alignment, departments or individuals will embark, with very good intentions, on their own path with separate and often conflicting results. A successful plan involves bringing the right stake holders together to create a vision, set the strategy to achieve the vision and identify the measures of success.

Leaders of organizations need to begin the planning process and then keep it alive. As John Kotter said, "Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there."
What is the difference between the plan that sits on a shelf after days of planning and the plan that remains active and in the forefront of all activities?

The following five strategies keep the process alive:

1. Carry the vision through the organization by designing a clear communication strategy and gather input to create an environment of inclusion and understanding of the direction of the company.
2. Assign sponsors at the senior level for each of the strategies to keep the dialogue in the present, not past tense.
3. Set times for reviewing progress, redirecting efforts and evaluating feedback to keep the process alive.
4. Be willing to allow time to manage changes in trends, digest results and look at what supports are needed for success.
5. And, lastly, celebrate milestones!

Begin your planning process today by reflecting on what you have done in the past and what has worked and not worked. Identify the key players and begin committing the needed time to focus on the process. In this way, you will start down the path to success. Remember the words of William Jennings Bryan, "Destiny is not at matter of chance, but of choice. Not something to wish for, but to attain."

Diane has been selected to facilitate a workshop at this year's ASTD International Conference to be held June 3-6, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. The workshop titled, Inquiry and Feedback: Using Action Learning For Transformational Change will focus on problem solving and building leaders. For more information go to www.astd2007.org.