Strategic Thinking & Planning

Strategic Thinking & Planning
'How To Get In Front Of Your Competitors ... And Make Sure You Stay There'

Who Should Attend?
Experienced or up-and-coming leaders within an organization, at any level of management, who want to contribute to the growth and success of their organization through enhancing its competitive advantage.

About the Programme
Strategic thinking and planning are now an essential part of a leader’s daily work. In order to maintain their organization’s competitive edge leaders at all levels of an organization need to evaluate and prioritise work, according to strategic goals. A successful strategic process engages everyone in the ongoing strategy of an organization, rather than leaving it to individual responsibilities. This programme includes a series of highly participative activities which will help guide the delegates in enhancing the long-term success of their organization. By the end of this programme, delegates will have acquired the thought processes, framework, and analysis tools needed to engage others in the strategic thinking and planning process. They will be prepared to lead the broader strategic conversations required to outperform their competitors, and reshape their organization for a successful long-term future.

Course Objectives

To develop skills in evaluating opportunities and threats in your competitive environment
To enhance the skills of diagnosing and managing the strengths and weaknesses within your organization
To be able to assess current strategies
To gain the ability to develop new strategies and provide options for your organization
To have confidence to adapt and adopt the tools within the strategic process to different situations
To understand the importance of analysing before planning
To learn how to effectively lead and communicate a strategic planning effort
To recognise the need for change, and the uncertainty and discomfort it can bring
To understand the potential pitfalls of incomplete, inconsistent, or inflexibleplanning
To balance the focus on process with an equal focus on people

What You Will Gain

The opportunity to clarify your own understanding of strategy and how it can work for you
A clear assessment of where your organization is in the strategic-tactical balance, and where you want it to be
Identification of the key strategic issues confronting your organization
Practise using different strategic analysis tools to help clarify your strategic environment
How to design, plan, and implement effective strategic change projects

Programme Contents
DAY ONE

What Is 'Strategy'?
- The Theory & The Practice
- Differences Between Strategic Thinking & Tactical Thinking
The Impact Of Improved Strategy On Your Business Success
Strategic Planning Vs Strategic Management
Thinking Strategically
Undertaking The Strategic Process
The Tools & Techniques For Undertaking External Analysis
- PESTLE
- Porter’s Five Competitive Forces
- Competitive Advantage / Unique Selling Point (USP)
- Ansoff Growth Matrix: Competitive Growth Strategy
- Growth Drivers
- Portfolio Analysis
- Customer Motivator - Hygiene
- Competitor Profiling
- Breaking Industry Compromises
- Scenario Development
- Uncertainty-Importance Grid
The Tools & Techniques For Carrying Out Internal Analysis
- SWOT Analysis
- Gap Analysis
- Quality Vs Cost Vs Time
- GE Grid - Market Attractiveness / Business Position Model
- Identifying Competitive Capabilitie.
- Balanced Score Card

DAY TWO

Strategic Planning
The 5 Stages Of Planning A Strategy
Strategic Planning Techniques
- Force-Field Analysis
- Ishikawa Diagram (Fishbone & Wishbone)
- Strategic Option Grid
- Attractiveness-Implementation Difficulty
- Difficulty Over Time
- Stakeholder Analysis
Building A Business Case
Communicating Your New Strategy
Implementing Strategic Change Projects
- Understanding Change Management
Goal Setting, Responsibility Allocation, & Monitoring Performance
Motivating People To Embrace Strategic Changes
Development Of Strategic Plan Reviews
- Purpose Of Reviews
- Development Review Cycle
- Development Of Monthly Review Cycles
- Differences Between Monthly Reviews & Yearly Reviews

2 Days - Non-Residential

Delegate spaces available on the following course dates:

Date: 7th September » 8th September, 2008
Location: Dubai
Brochure Price: Dhs 3160.00
Online Price: Dhs 2,844.00 (Ramadan Discount (10%))

Date: 9th November » 10th November, 2008
Location: Abu Dhabi
Brochure Price: Dhs 3160.00
Online Price: Dhs 3,002.00 (Save 5% Online)

All courses run during Ramadan from 1st September 2008 to 30th September 2008 will qualify for a 10% discount (including booking online or offline).

To cater for the needs of Muslim delegates fasting, courses will start earlier and all breaks will be substantially reduced.

Tutor / delegate contact time will remain at 6.5 hours.

Dubai Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Abu Dhabi Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Before the course each delegate will be asked to complete a Pre-Course Briefing Form to determine their individual objectives for attending the course. These objectives will be used by the tutor to give on-target training that is focused on the individual delegates.

At the end of the course each delegate will be asked to complete a Personal Development Plan that can be used as part of future appraisals and that will also be an important tool for management reference.

Total investment includes - Training Materials, Lunch & Refreshments.

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Spearhead Training > Management & Leadership > Strategic Thinking & Planning

Strategic Thinking & Planning 'How To Get In Front Of Your Competitors ... And Make Sure You Stay There'

Strategic Thinking & Planning
'How To Get In Front Of Your Competitors ... And Make Sure You Stay There'