Continuity Model Generation

Strategy:Strategic Planning for Continuity

Cornerstone Concept: Design a Quadruple Bottom-Line Scorecard.

Preamble: Here's how to look at strategic planning: knowing where you are, where you want to go to, and deciding among options for the best way to get there. Simple is best. But the simplicity masks the complexity. Deciding on objectives, measures, and targets sounds much easier than it is. And then consider that you need to do this for operating businesses, liquid assets, real estate holdings, and philanthropic activities. Deciding who is going to do what by when is vital for continuity. But integrating multiple strategic plans is exponentially complex.

Strategic Planning for Continuity I: Collecting and Collating Basic Information

Chances are that most readers will be familiar with or have engineered something akin to a strategic plan for the main operating business. Whatever form this has taken is not of much concern, as long as it brings clarity and accountability to the decision-making process, particularly as it relates to direction. What is less likely is that the same “plan” or planning process exists for anything other than the main operating business. And this does not make sense to continuity modelers. As such, strategic plans and the strategic planning process is a fundamental focus of the Continuity Model Generation.

There are plenty (read: too many) books and experts that communicate the basic principles of strategic planning. No point in using valuable ...