STRATEGY SESSIONS #24

WRAPPING THIS UP

by Dr. Steve Payne

This is my final blog on describing a strategic process for handling individual career and life challenges.  I hope that I’ve explained this strategic process well enough that some readers will be encouraged to use the recommended four steps for making important life and career decisions.   Those four steps are 1) conducting an internal analysis of personal goals, values, strengths and weaknesses, 2) examining the external environment and identifying opportunities and threats in particular markets that align with personal interests and skills, 3) determining possible options and deciding on which of those really make sense, and 4) implementing decisions and critically reviewing resulting actions that are undertaken.

Aristotle urged a “golden mean” between misguided extremes in personal decisions and actions.  Excessive concern and analysis is one extreme in decision making, and this can delay key decisions, among having possibly other negative consequences.   The other extreme is under-analysis or a “leap to judgment” before enough deliberation or real thought.  Most personal decisions do not demand a lot of strategic analysis, but a few important life and career decisions likely do deserve this kind of serious attention.   These critical strategic decisions can determine basic life and career direction, and inform and assist many later and less critical decisions that need to be made.

Organizations in the public and private sector usually focus more attentionon strategic planning and decision making than individuals do.  They do so, partially because these organizations are composed of many stakeholders with varying and sometimes competing goals, expectations, and interests.   A strategic planning process is useful for taking into account these diverse views.  It also should lead to agreements and commitment concerning organizational goals and means of accomplishing these.   Organizational leaders often try to involve key stakeholders directly in this strategic process, if only to avoid criticism of autocratic power and lack of responsibility toward those impacted by the organizations’ actions. 

Beyond government and business organizations, there are many third-sector or social services organizations contributing to their residents’ health and vitality.  How strategic, well-reasoned, and socially responsible are important decisions made by local and area leaders and organizations?  How might the quality and outcomes of the strategic decision-making processes of these organizations be fairly judged and improved?   Measures of organizational effectiveness often include short-, intermediate-, and long-term criteria such as 1) commitment to undertaking strategy and planning for the long term (5-10 years), 2) effectiveness in recent and current goal attainment, 3) efficiency of current operations, financing and marketing, and 4) concern and actual planning for future leadership and staff training/development.   

 

Understanding more about strategic planning and decision making can not only assist individuals with their own personal challenges, but this knowledge can also allow better evaluation of the successes and failures of the organizations to which we belong.   You don’t have to have a college degree or much education on the subject of strategic planning and development to spot concerns or weaknesses that exist in many business, public, and social service organizations.

STRATEGY SESSIONS #23

ADDITIONAL TIPS ON BECOMING MORE STRATEGIC

by Dr. Steve Payne

I’m close to completing this series of essays on strategic decision making for career and life challenges.  The points below seem worth mentioning to describe further the four-step process that I’ve been trying to explain:

* Needs analysis:  Part of step 1 in my strategic decision-making process is determination of personal needs.  Business and organizations often undertake “needs analysis” to determine areas of weaknesses, underperformance, and opportunity -- prior to their setting strategic goals.  A similar investigation of personal needs can be important in establishing personal goals and identifying barriers to reaching these strategic goals.

* Aspiration level:  Some people have very high aspirations and set almost unattainable goals.  Others, for various reasons, have low aspirations.  These individuals may fail to set goals or they have goals that do not really challenge their true talents and capabilities.  Most counselors suggest trying to set life and career goals that “stretch” talents and capabilities, but that are not utterly unattainable or unrealistic ones.

* Effectiveness and efficiency as measures of strategic accomplishment:  Both concepts can be useful in measuring degrees of goal accomplishment.  Effectiveness is the extent to which we reach a goal or goals.  Efficiency is how we reach that goal or goals -- whether with ease and few costs or with difficulty and much cost of time and resources. 

* Moral or ethical concerns in the treatment of others impacted by strategic choices:  Only true psychopaths or sociopaths have no regard for moral or ethical concerns.  The rest of us have at least some moral or ethical values that influence our moral self-worth/self-regard and our perception of progress toward attaining personal goals.   Don’t forget to factor in your moral or ethical values strongly in appraising strategic choices.  Ethical conflicts and tough decisions can occasionally arise between personal ambition/goals and appropriate means to try to reach those goals.

* Change:  Change is inevitable, and it can be feared or embraced.  Accomplishing life or career goals is successfully confronting our personal challenges and seeing actual changes in our circumstances and in ourselves as persons.  Those people close to us occasionally may have reasons to resist or obstruct some of these changes.  Communication will often be necessary to prepare and help others impacted by these changes in personal relationships.  Feedback from others can help, too, in possibly modifying our goals or ways to pursue these goals.  

* Coaching or counseling from those who use a strategic perspective to life and career decisions:  Not everyone has a mentor, coach, or even a good friend with whom to have very honest conversations about these choices.  Often the person facing a life or career challenge doesn’t feel comfortable, for various reasons, even discussing these major concerns.  Even if a person tries to initiate this type of important conversation, the other person involved might not have the listening skills, the available time then, or the types of insights that would be helpful.   Try to find someone with whom you can freely talk about important decisions that you face.