The Quarterly Strategic Planning Meeting

March 15, 2022
|In Article, Featured
|By lawrenceandco

We’re already almost a quarter of the way through 2022 and I hope everything is going well for you.

This blog relates to having an effective quarterly strategic planning meeting with your team – to review your 90-day progress and to set your goals for the next 90 days. These meetings are a critical discipline:

  • To evaluate and be accountable for what you’ve done in the last 90 days.
  • To reset and realign around your annual plan because things change, learn something new; market conditions internal factors change.
  • To learn and improve to stay ahead of the curve and develop the team.

Preparation is Key

Organizing and running quarterly strategic planning meetings is a project that takes preparation and skill, to make good and effective use of your valuable time. The purpose is to mine and evaluate what Jim Collins calls the Brutal Facts – to determine how you are really performing, what’s working, and challenges and opportunities.

Ideally, you meet off site – or virtually – away from daily distractions.

The quarterly strategic planning Agenda

1. Review the last 90 days.

  • Financials and goals.
  • Talent:
    • How did team members perform and what needs adjusting?
    • How are you going to strengthen the team?
  • Culture:
    • Are you leading teams well or creating problems?
    • Review a mini pulse survey, two or three layers, deep to see what’s going on, and how people are thinking and feeling now.
  • Core values:
    • Keep breathing life into your culture and core ideologies.
    • What actions can you take for more people to live and understand your values, purpose and BHAG more deeply?

2. Review, test and ideate the annual strategy.

  • How are you performing in context?
  • How are you going to evolve? Perhaps dig into the Five Forces, your flywheel or another concept or tool.

3. Debate and resolve big issues to align and move forward.

  • e.g.: A new policy, acquisition, strategic partnership or customer
  • Ask a team member to do a 10-minute presentation on the issue, then debate to get the best ideas.
  • Align and make a decision.

4. Refresh or learn new skills.

  • Ahead of the meeting, ask the team to read a book, relevant to what you want or need to do to win, this year.
  • Discuss what you’ve learned and how to apply it in your organization.
  • Choose a new title to discuss at the next quarterly meeting.

5. Set the next 90-day execution plan.

  • Identify and align on priorities and goals.
  • Three-to-five smart priorities for the company, the departments and individuals.

The Challenge

  • What enhancements do you need to do to make your quarterly meeting more impactful?

If you need help to prepare for and run an effective quarterly or annual meeting, our experienced advisors are ready to help.

For more about quarterly planning execution meetings, listen to Episode 91 of The Growth Whisperers.

Lawrence & Co’s work focuses on sustainable and enhanced growth for you and your business. Our diverse and experienced group of advisors can help your leaders and executive teams stay competitive through the use of various learning tools including workshops, webinars, executive retreats, or one-to-one coaching.

We help high-achieving leaders to have it all – a great business and a rewarding life. Contact us for simple and impactful advice. No BS. No fluff.