Strategic planning means different things to different people. There is an abundance of business jargon, but we like to keep it simple. To illustrate, let’s examine a real-life case study:

Strategic Planning Case Study

Situation
Our client was a regulated monopoly. They were faced with the first major legislative battle in their nearly 100 year history. They had dealt primarily with regulators, and their interface with the legislature was mainly just patting people on the back. Locally they had always been the largest tax payer and just about every newspaper carried the annual picture of a company official handing over the tax check. Their organization had a lot of lateral autonomy. The company’s future in a competitive, deregulated world was on the line as they faced a well-funded and well-organized group of companies wanting the shape the “new world” to their liking.

Objective
To have a legislative act that would allow our client to maintain a base of business while having a level playing field to compete in the future.

Facilitation Technique
Time was of the essence, so we quickly interviewed all top company officials individually and confidentially. We also consulted with our colleagues who worked as lobbyists with the legislature and some legislators themselves who were personal friends.

Strategic Plan
We presented a no holds barred series of recommendations that included a reorganization of top officials into a streamlined, vertical, clear-cut decision making team. We basically stated that if the reorganization did not occur then probably others would be running the company with the results they would get. There were some bruised egos, but they bought the plan. We then assisted the company in assembling a team of lobbyists to assist in what would become the major battle in the legislature that session. Further, we developed a plan where their key local executives throughout the state would, for the first time, call in chits from the local legislators. It was along the lines of “we have been the good citizens for years (taxes, United Way, etc.) and now we need your help.”

Results
Our client implemented the plan, and the results were very much in their favor, allowing them to do further strategic planning to hold on to existing business and getting a competitive mindset for the future.

This is one example of strategic planning in action.

We enjoy meeting with a client, determining goals and then designing a strategy to bring results. We can, when appropriate, bring resources to implement a strategy as well.

Frankly, we are good at this. If you have a business, marketing, or governmental relations problem or opportunity — give Roberts Strategies a try.

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