CHAPTER 11 | YING-YANG Planning and CEOs

It’s helpful to review Chapter NINE in this series that introduces the concept of YING-YANG Planning.

Planning can be organizational, departmental or marketing-based (as in “what would be the best use of X dollars”). The process is the same. In YING-YANG Planning, SPEED is the key, and FLUIDITY makes it current.

YING-YANG means there is balance between thought/action and CEO involvement. Back, forth.

A CEO/Executive Director's role is to develop a company’s vision (with board approval) and lead the company to the vision.

Vision is the horizon line on a map of the future, commonly calculated at 18 months to three years.

Presidents manage to that vision.

Founders in smaller companies often both see and manage with a core leadership team.

SECRETS

Truth be told, most CEOs and Founders have strong visions and dislike strategic planning, just like the rest of us. CEOs want strategic AFFIRMATION and IMPLEMENTATION of their visions.

A facilitator should know this before the process starts.

The CEO should be honest: SOMETIMES THERE IS NO “PURPOSEFUL” VISION. Sometimes the vision is to “make enough money to sustain the business as long as possible.”

Or, “get the company sold for the most money.”

That’s OK. It's why the “facilitator finesse” is important.

Should CEOs attend planning or not? No. No one wants them there the whole time. No one will feel comfortable speaking, and it will be among the most boring days you’ll spend on Earth.

If the CEO does NOT attend…

Consider an anonymous company survey to bring light to the process and give people an opportunity for voice, either company wide or within a division.

This could inform a SWOT and give insight to perception vs reality.

AI can provide broad sector trends and competitive analysis.

An organized facilitator can share this to the group in a day.

The CEO is looped in privately to see outputs.

The following day, the team uses URGENT vs IMPORTANT to bucket strategies and tactics.

This becomes an agile plan, with 60 to 90-day sprints to update performance.

OR

Do a small mission, vision, values session with the CEO and two additional confidants in the organization.

Do a market competition, customer/segment insight, sustainable competitive advantage session per business unit with a broader team including confidants, C-suite and VPs. NOT the CEO.

Reconvene with the CEO and confidants, report and gain feedback. Create goals and objectives together.

Go back to the larger group. Create actionable strategies and tactical recommendations, and bucket by URGENT and IMPORTANT, based on the goals and objectives.

Make the confidants keepers of the process.

YING-YANG.