MCOMM Strategic Consulting helps organizations to develop/re-define a strategic direction that not only considers an organization's current needs but plans for its future course and the demands that it will place on its infrastructure and resources.

---

Strategic Success

A "Strategic Formula for Success" begins with assessing/re-defining an organization's "Core Competencies Strategic Path":

MISSION » VISION » GOALS » OBJECTIVES » STRATEGIES » INITIATIVES/TACTICS

This is followed by aligning this strategic path" with its organizational structure as defined through a Strategic-Focused Organizational (SFO) Strategy Map:

RESOURCES » PEOPLE » INTERNAL PROCESSES » STAKEHOLDERS » MISSION

Listed below are the three (3) integral components employed to help an organization determine its "Strategic Formula for Success."

A well defined Strategic Plan spells out the essentials of what the organization is about.
The basis for any organization to succeed begins with a well defined strategy or strategic plan that will provide direction to the varying business units and its individuals throughout the organization. The strategic plan in basic terms is the rudder that steers the organization along its path — from its "current state", to its "future state" — and hopefully to success. In it is described what the organization does, whom it serves, and how it plans to succeed and/or compete. (See: "Strategic Success Path" shown above)

Fiscal Business Planning

An extension of an organiztion's strategic plan is the fiscal business plan. Development of this annual business plan provides organizations with a management tool that will help guide it through a changing environment. It articulates how it will be managed over the coming fiscal year and clearly defines the organiztion's goals and objectives as well as provide a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating progress.

A fiscal business plan is used as a management tool for:
• Articulating specific goals and objectives
• Establishing performance guidelines
• Identifying opportunities for improvement
• Promoting efficiencies
• Outlining specific fundraising efforts or special events

The business plan is a detailed account of how the organization will operate; therefore, it becomes a tool for promoting the organization's capacity and can be used as a major communications tool.

SEE: Integrated Marketing Strategy

The SFO Best Practices Approach helps an organization to effectively align and map its operational, marketing and communications needs. It does this by taking the processes defined in the Strategic Plan (mission, goals, objectives, etc.) and links them to the organization's structural elements (i.e., stakeholders/customers, internal processes, human resources and monetary/infrastructure).

Because "change" is never readily or easily accepted, development of a Change Management (People) Strategy helps to plan and allow for a smooth transitioning of individuals, teams, and organizations from its "current state" to a desired "future state". No organization can afford to remain static because the business environment in which it operates is constantly changing, and with this is a constant need and struggle to effectively manage change from both an internal and external perspective.

Goal-Oriented Approach: By helping organizations (or teams) to focus their activities on specific business results you can emphasize knowledge transfer to ensure development of a change management capability within the organization.

Structured Approach: Allows individuals, teams and organizations to address not only the typical business elements - business needs identification, project definition, business solution design and implementation - but also the people element. The difficulty with aligning and transitioning people is the most common reason for project failure..

KEY CHANGE MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS
Sponsorship: Many projects fail due to sponsorship mismanagement. All too often, sponsors see their role as providing endorsement during the initial stages of change management, but with no further engagement.

Resistance Management: Resistance to change is not always bad, and can be used as a resource for new ideas and breakthroughs.

Communications and Buy-in: A majority of a change management team's efforts can be spent in the development and execution of a communication plan, but it is wise to remember that an effective communications plan is one that begins communications early, communicates frequently, utilizes several channels, and involves "all" levels of management.

Assessment & Training: Often, change management initiatives neglect to analyze whether employees have the required skills to successfully operate in the new environment. Human capital assessment, development of training programs, adjusting hiring profiles and techniques is critical to the on-going success of the change management program.

A well developed approach ensures the proper focus necessary for building the change management capability for the organization as a whole.