---

Guest post by: Glenn Ebersole Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

Clearing Up The Myths About Strategic Thinking and Planning
By: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group™

I continue to be amazed at the amount of misinformation and the number of myths that exist about strategic thinking and planning. During my entire career, I have heard business owners, senior executives and not-for-profit board members and executive directors utter “mythical” statements about strategic thinking and planning. And I have observed that these same people truly believe that these myths are reality.

My purpose in writing this article is to share what I believe are the 5 biggest myths and also provide some insights into what I believe are the 5 biggest “realities” of strategic thinking and planning.

The #1 Myth: “Our company (organization) does not need a strategic plan.”
The #1 Reality: Every company and organization needs to develop strategic thinking and planning to guide its actions, especially in chaotic times.

The #2 Myth: “Strategic planning takes too much time and we must use our time to do our “real” work.”
The #2 Reality: By engaging in strategic thinking and planning, time will be saved and time will be used more efficiently and effectively. The effort will provide a system of accountability and evaluation of a company’s or organization’s effectiveness.

The #3 Myth: “A strategic plan is confidential.”
The #3 Reality: A copy of the strategic plan, which in my model includes vision and mission statements, a list of core values or guiding principles and lists of short term (less than 1 year) and long term (beyond 1 year) goals, MUST be presented and given to ALL employees.

The #4 Myth: “Strategic thinking & planning are events that only happen at retreats.”
The #4 Reality: Strategic thinking and planning are processes and need to be continuous.

The #5 Myth: “Our company (organization) can do everything on our own without any help in strategic thinking and planning.
The #5 Reality: “At best, it is extremely challenging and at worst is impossible to facilitate and participate in the same meeting. A trained facilitator is a very valuable asset and will resist the temptations to enter into the detailed tactical problem solving and go “off track” of the real purpose of the meeting.

Are you a believer in one or more of these myths about strategic thinking and planning? Or do you accept the realities? Please contact Glenn Ebersole at jgeprman@aol.com if you want to find out how to clear up the myths and get to the reality of the benefits of strategic thinking and planning to grow your business.

Related Articles

  Strategic Thinking What Does It Really Mean
  “Eight Key Characteristics For A Strategic Planning Facilitator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  More On Strategic Thinking
  “The Top Ten Reasons Strategic Planning Meetings Fail, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  Seven Benefits Of Strategic Thinking And Planning For A New Year According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Year End Strategic Planning - To Plan or Not to Plan - That is the Question\"
  “Ten More Benefits From Strategic Planning, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach Ten More Benefits From Strategic Planning, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  The Positive Impact of Strategic Thinking and Planning on Your Success
  12 Strategic Questions To Ask Before Starting New Marketing Activity, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  More on Strategic Planning What Do You Think
  Strategic Thinking Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
  A Strategic Approach To Planning For A New Business Year – Ask Your Clients Questions
  Strategic Thinking Planning Success Story
  Major Characteristics of A Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Coach
  Strategically Structured Succession Planning For Company Leadership According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  How To Hone Your Strategic Thinking Skills To Plan For The New Business Year, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  “End of Year Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  How To Know If You Are A Strategic Marketing Communicator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  10 Most Compelling Reasons To Hire A Coach, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  “Seven Reasons Why You Need A Strategic Planning Facilitator, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Related Forum Posts

Re: Essential Leadership skills
Different Hats
HRPreneur
Re: How do you make the most of your day?
Re: Success

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Severance and Separation Agreements

Quick Way To Track Keyword Rankings

Accessing Government Funding in Canada

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.