Strategic Planning Simplified

What to do after the
strategic planning retreat

The hard truth about strategic planning

You have just invested significant time, energy, and resources in creating a strategic plan. The room buzzed with energy, ideas flowed, and the future looked bright.

But here's the uncomfortable reality: 90% of what was discussed will be forgotten in two weeks. In three months, that beautiful strategic document will collect digital dust in a folder. And in six months, you'll wonder why things haven't changed despite your best intentions.

You're not alone. This is the fate of most strategic plans.

WHY STRATEGIC PLANS FAIL

  • The Forgetting Curve: Research shows we forget approximately 70% of what we learn within 24 hours without reinforcement

  • Daily Firefighting: Urgent issues push out important strategic work

  • Isolation: The plan stays with the executive team, never reaching those who execute

  • No Accountability: Without clear ownership and deadlines, initiatives remain ideas

  • Strategic Disconnect: Daily decisions are made without reference to the strategic plan

  • Implementation Fatigue: Initial enthusiasm wanes when progress seems slow

Principles for strategic activation

1. Make It Visible: Strategic plans hidden in digital folders can't guide decisions. Your plan must be visible, accessible, and frequently referenced.

2. Translate for Every Level: Each team needs to understand what the strategy means for their specific role and responsibilities.

3. Create Rhythm and Accountability: Effective strategy implementation requires a consistent rhythm, regular check-ins, and clear accountability.

4. Connect Daily Decisions to Strategic Direction: Every significant decision should be evaluated against your strategic framework.

5. Celebrate Early Wins: Build momentum by identifying and celebrating quick wins that demonstrate progress.

Act now: your first week

Your actions following the retreat will set the tone for implementation success.
Start here:

  1. Create the third draft of your strategy documents

    • Review and edit as needed. Aim for clarity, conciseness, and specificity.

    • Share the document with anyone who attended the retreat and ask for feedback.

  2. Schedule a 90-day accountability meeting

    • Book a meeting specifically focused on discussing progress on strategy and priorities.

    • Set weekly 15-minute one-on-one progress with assigned priority drivers.

  3. Assign Clear Ownership

    • Every strategic initiative needs a single accountable owner

    • Establish what "success" looks like for each key initiative

  4. Brief Your Extended Leadership Team

    • Schedule a dedicated session to walk through the plan with leaders who were not present at the retreat.

    • Focus on the "why" behind key decisions and priorities

  5. Create Your Strategic Dashboard

    • Identify 5-7 key metrics that will track your strategic progress

    • Establish baseline measurements and targets

How to effectively use your strategic plan documents

Print the strategic plan. Carry it with you, and before making any significant decision, use it as a filter to assess whether the next decision you make brings you closer to or further away from reaching your summit.

For Executive Decision-Making:

  • How does this align with our strategic priorities?

  • Does this advance our most important objectives?

  • Is this the highest-leverage use of our resources right now?

For Team Alignment:

  • Begin team meetings by connecting work to strategic objectives

  • Reference the specific section of your plan that relates to current projects

  • Use plan language consistently in communications

For Resource Allocation:

  • Use your strategic plan as the primary filter for budget decisions

  • When saying "yes" to new opportunities, identify what strategic objective they support

  • When saying "no," reference your strategic priorities as the rationale.

For Performance Management:

  • Connect individual goals directly to strategic objectives

  • Recognize and reward behaviors that advance strategic priorities

  • Address performance that undermines strategic direction

Warning signs you’re losing focus

Watch for these red flags that indicate your organization is drifting from its strategic plan:

  • Meeting Agendas: Strategic initiatives stop appearing on meeting agendas

  • Resource Drift: Resources flow to non-strategic projects without discussion

  • Language Change: The distinctive language from your plan disappears from conversations

  • Reactive Decision-Making: Decisions are made without reference to strategy

  • Initiative Overload: New projects proliferate without strategic filtering

  • Extended Silence: More than two weeks pass without discussion of strategic priorities

You can make strategy part of your daily running of the business

Remember that strategy implementation is not a sprint but a marathon. The difference between organizations that transform and those that stagnate isn't the brilliance of their strategy, but rather their disciplined and persistent implementation.

Your strategic plan isn't just a document—it's a commitment to a better future for your organization. Honor that commitment through consistent action, clear communication, and unwavering focus.

The strategic retreat was just the beginning. The real work—and the real reward—lies ahead.

Let's turn your strategy into action, starting now.

Learn More About

Jeff Shannon

A master facilitator of corporate strategy workshops, leadership development, and off-site retreats. He conducts over 90 sessions annually for numerous companies in the Midwest and is the author of business guides such as "Lead Engaging Meetings" and "Hard Work Is Not Enough."