by Jonelle Foutz
What does a birthday party, building a fence, and producing the nation’s best juices and ingredients have in common? They all require a good plan in order to be successful. This Company is currently in the process of developing our plan for the future. And even the process requires a plan!
The usual approach is to look at This Company’s Mission, Vision and Values to ensure they are still appropriate and then look at the issues facing the company in the coming year. The Executive Committee (EC) meets in January to begin the planning process. In February and March, more meetings are held with staff members from each division. In April and May, the divisions hold meetings to develop their Strategic Plans, Objectives, Goals and Action Plans in each of their departments. In June, the divisions, by department, present their plans to the EC. That information is then pulled together and presented to the Board in July.
“It’s actually a never-ending cycle,” explained Someone, Director of Corporate Planning and Treasury Operations. “Once the new plan is presented to the board, we begin a critique of the process. We take a look at what we did right and what we could do better, then we identify changes we need to make for the next cycle.”
This year’s planning process is a little different. “We brought in a consultant this year to help us take a fresh look at our business,” said Someone. “We wanted to make improvements in our planning process, and by doing so, improve the outcome as well.” The consultant is helping to keep everybody focused and to ensure consistency throughout the planning process. “Our focus is also much broader,” Someone said. “We are looking at the next three years, instead of only one year ahead.”
It’s too early to tell what changes are ahead for the coming year. “We expect that the developing plan will identify changes we need to make in the future,” said Someone. “As our environment changes around us, we must also change in order to continue the growth and success of our company. Some of the changes we elect to make will be small, and some may be big.”
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