These days, anyone can call themselves a Strategic Planner regardless of their skills and competence. This is about to change, however.
Since June 2008, I have had the privilege of serving on The Association for Strategic Planning’s (ASP’s) Task Force designed to establish the first National (and soon-to-be International) Standards & Certification for Strategic Planners.
We have assembled a national team of experts and top-rated strategists who are defining the Body of Knowledge and Best Practices. This has been a great learning experience for me as well. We are in the final stages of writing the text questions, setting up the certification process, and providing a path by which to earn a recognized and prestigious certification.
A recent Bain & Company report identified strategic planning as the number one required competency for corporate success. Being able to develop the right kind of plans in these topsy-turvy times gives you the edge. If you have a broad base of experience and know how to think strategically, you can gain your certification in this field. That credential can give you a career edge which differentiates you from equally talented peers. You may already qualify to take the exam without additional formal training, or you can attend courses from educational providers we have identified as teaching the right stuff.
Sound interesting? Then contact me for more information, or check out The Association for Strategic Planning website www.strategyplus.org. You may also want to pencil in our 2010 ASP Annual Conference in Pasadena, CA on February 22nd-24th to learn from the best and brightest in the field.
Many of us first learned the timeless wisdom of Desiderata from posters sold in the 1970s, which mistakenly attributed the 18 lessons to an inscription found in an 18th century churchyard. Actually, the words were written by Max Ehrmann in 1927 and still ring true today.
- Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.
- As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
- Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
- Avoid loud and aggressive persons; for they are vexations to the spirit.
- If you compare yourself with others you may become bitter or vain, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
- Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
- Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
- Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery; but let this not blind you to what virtue there is.
- Be yourself.
- Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
- Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
- Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
- Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself.
- You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here, and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
- Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
- And whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, be at peace with your soul. With all its shame, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
- Be cheerful.
- Strive to be happy.
With the new year coming, this is an ideal time to develop a plan to improve your physical fitness (and mental fitness too!).
Here is a generic example that may guide you, using the Logical Framework thinking tool. For more information on this approach, get the free article “Turn Strategy Into Action” on our website www.ManagementPro.com
Taking My Year-End Personal Inventory for 2009
The end of a calendar year is a natural time for personal reflection. It’s a process I do every year, as a way to celebrate victories, examine lessons learned, and gear up for the year to come. Each year, the format varies, where this year I journaled the answer to 8 questions—and perhaps you will do the same. For me, this process is aided by taking a couple of uninterruptible hours, enjoying a glass or two of Merlot, and reflecting on both personal and professional aspects individually and in combination.
1. What am I most proud of?
Being proud does not mean being prideful, but recognizing the importance of accomplishments—no matter how small—is essential to being able to feel good about various aspects of life.
Among my biggest prouds, earlier this year I achieved a major milestone of my career with the Wiley publication of my book Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams. It is a concise version of my life’s work of bringing the Logical Framework to the world. Other achievements include being able to use my strategic planning expertise to make a difference with key clients, particularly in positioning them well despite the economy—including being able to refocus my business after some tough months in a difficult economy. On a more personal note, I have enjoyed spending time with my Dad and recognizing the lasting influence he has had on my life.
2. What did I learn?
Learning is the catalyst for personal growth. Without learning, there is usually little growth. I love learning, but realize that sometimes learning precedes action; and sometimes action precedes learning. Either way, both learning and action are important—especially when they are in combination.
Professionally, this past year, I have learned the fine-points of what it takes to be a strategic thinker and planner by serving on The National Standards & Certification Task Force of The Association for Strategic Planning, helping to establish standards and best practices in the field of strategic planning both. Experiencing the process from start-up to near completion, I have gained firsthand insights on how volunteer experts collaborate to establish a program.
Personally, this past year I have painfully learned that spending an afternoon raking leaves stresses little—used muscles—and can lead to three days in bed recovering from back spasms. Not the best memory, but one that inspires me to ask Santa for a leaf blower this year.
3. What do I need to pay more attention to?
There are a million things vying for our attention. By paying more attention to what truly deserves attention, vital life flows more smoothly. As I enter my sixties, it means paying more attention to my professional end game to strategize about how my work might shift as I find ways to leverage my expertise and serve clients with less airplane travel. My career adventures have been rich indeed, which I want to continue but at a slower pace.
4. What am I most thankful for?
Having an attitude of gratitude matters for a variety of reasons. It’s easy to get derailed and focus on what isn’t there rather than what is present in one’s life.
Over The Thanksgiving Holiday, I had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature on walks along the majestic Colorado River. It inspired me to think about all that I am thankful for, including continuing good health, loving relationships, stimulating work, and the ability to make a difference in the lives of my friends and clients (which often overlap).
5. Who did I help?
Being able to give and assist others on their path delete with my time, effort, and means is a source of pure joy with priceless returns. I have had many people who have encouraged and aided me in my journey; and it is my pleasure to give back.
This past year, I have helped make networking connections to get people connected to others who could then open new doors. The way I have strategized my own business has also helped create new possibilities and successes that have helped my clients and my own team find new possibilities in this dim economy.
6. What do I need to learn?
It’s cliché to say that the only constant is change—but what’s true is that these up-tempo times require continuous learning to adapt to the constant change. This also applies to those who have established their professional niche.
One area I need to beef up is my facility with electronic gadgets. I once took pride in being a whiz-bang fast typist—and can still make a keyboard smoke. But being in a non-corporate environment, I never had a Blackberry or learned to text. Being in constant touch is almost a requirement now, so I am learning to polish that skill.
7. What do I need to let go of?
Carrying grudges around is heavy work that robs energy and the awareness of being here now. But reframing past situations, getting complete with them, and letting go opens you up to new possibilities in the present that could otherwise be overlooked. Four years ago, my maintenance man (who had earned my trust working for me the previous decade) went bad. He rummaged through some boxes in the garage and some old financial files and found active, but unused credit cards and checks, he decided to cash in. Fortunately, he got caught and served a year for a felony. After the fact, I discovered that he had also stolen my wedding ring and other precious items of both personal and financial importance.
While it’s hard to forgive his trespasses, continuing to be angry at him doesn’t serve me. That event is now history.
8. A year from now, what would I like to be different?
If you had a magic wand and could make – within reason – things significantly different and better in the future, what would that be?
Fortunately, my wishes for the magic wand are things I can actually make happen by taking new actions. For me, my list looks like this: I will weigh 12 pounds less; I will complete one more book; I will recover from recent financial losses; I will develop an on-line business; and I will do more work in my “sweet spot.” (In fact, these are so doable, I am going to transfer them to my goal list!)
Although I take time each year to practice this year-end inventory, I also monitor my life in an ongoing manner to stay aware of the direction my business and life are headed. There are other more in-depth questions I use to really delve deep in my reflection of the past year and direction for the new year.
If you would like a copy of those questions, contact me at strategicthinker@hotmail.com and I will e-mail them to you. I would also love to hear about how this inventory practice helps you. Happy Year-End in anticipation of The (soon-to-arrive) New Year!
By Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ph.D.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter is a Harvard Business School Professor, creative thought leader, and prolific author.
Kanter's latest book demonstrates how “vanguard companies” – those that truly take care of people (e.g., their employees, their customers and the general public) – help take care of the bottom line. Creating a more responsive, positive, and innovative workplace, in fact, produces the conditions and interactions necessary to result in a positive bottom-line; a highly engaged and productive employees; and a profitable company.
Kanter’s research explores a number of vanguard companies and explains how each create a successful combination of four primary factors necessary for success in the current global economy: (1) Innovation, (2) Profits, (3) Growth, and (4) Social Bonds. The "SuperCorps" Kanter describes include Procter & Gamble, Banco Real, IBM, ICICI Bank, Omron, Publicis Groupe, CEMEX, and Shirshan Bank. All of these companies are recognized leaders in both social purpose and profitable results—not just one arena or the other. Although the book is based on sound research, the book itself is a breezy read due to lively narrative and reader-friendly checklists such as:
- Four general forces to which vanguard companies respond (Pages 46-47)
- Six advantages created with strategic use of values and principles (Pages 58-60)
- Five advantages when social purpose is at the forefront (Pages 111-113)
- Nine tenets of innovation initiatives that make a difference (Pages 211-212)
- Seven guidelines that summarize vanguard practices (Pages 231-232)
- Ten things that anyone can do to be in a vanguard (Pages 259-260)
- Five characteristics of vanguard leadership (Pages 261-262)
Kanter understands how difficult it is to become #1 in any competitive industry and appreciates how difficult it is to maintain that ranking.
The challenge in maintaining a #1 ranking is as true of major corporations as it is for athletic teams. Sometimes competitiveness and ranking is more visible to the public in the sports arena. For example, did you realize that eight of the last ten NFL Super Bowl Champions failed to make the playoffs the following year and only two teams during the same period won consecutive titles? (Denver Broncos and The New England Patriots). 38 of 43 other winners couldn't repeat.
Kanter recently spoke to The Harvard Business School Club of The Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington. I had an opportunity to schmooze with Kanter before her talk; and was delighted to hear her say that “Leaders of the future are Emotionally Intelligent systems thinkers who spot the connections.” Her statement confirms my own belief that outstanding leaders are effective because they see things in context and understand complex interactions between and among many variables.
In vanguard companies, Kanter points out that systems thinking competences are not confined to the executive suite. Rather, they are consciously developed in employees throughout the enterprise—at all levels and in all areas. Kanter points out that the vanguard model "turns organizations upside down and inside out" as they become less hierarchical, more driven by flexible networks, and more transparent to the outside world while bringing society and its needs inside.
A comment about Kanter as an individual: While my days at The Harvard Business School preceded hers, she is obviously beloved by her students (not all HBS Professors share this honor). The recent Alumni attending her talk spoke fondly of her class, explaining just how warm and caring she is—including inviting her entire class to her home for parties. Not only is SuperCorp a great read, Kanter is a great human being who embodies the vanguard spirit.
Here are more Kids’ ideas About Love (original compiler of these is unknown).
Enjoy!
How To Tell If Two People Are Married:
- "Married people usually look happy to talk to other people." -- Eddie, age 6
- "You might have to guess based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids." -- Derrick, age 8
Deciding Who To Marry:
- "You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming." -- Allan, age 10
- "No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with." -- Kirsten, age 10
Strategies For Making People Fall In Love With You:
- "Tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores." -- Del, age 6
- "Shake your hips and hope for the best." -- Camille, age 9
- "Yell out that you love them at the top of your lungs...and don't worry if their parents are right there." -- Manuel, age 8
- "Don't do things like have smelly, green sneakers. You might get attention, but attention ain't the same thing as love." -- Alonzo, age 9
- "One way is to take the girl out to eat. Make sure it's something she likes to eat. French fries usually works for me." -- Bart, age 9
The Best Age To Get Married:
- "Twenty three is the best age because you know the person forever by then." -- Cam, age 10
- "No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married!" -- Freddie, age 6
Good Advice About Love:
- "Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work." -- Dick, age 7
- "Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough." -- Lynnette, age 8
- "Tell your wife that she looks pretty even if she looks like a truck!" -- Ricky, age 7
- "Don't forget your wife's name. That will mess up the love." -- Erin, age 8
- "Sensitivity don't hurt." -- Robbie, age 8
- "Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash." -- Erin, age 8
- "Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind. Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch." -- Natalie, age 9
What To Do When a First Date Turns Sour:
- "I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns." -- Craig, age 9
What Most People Are Thinking When They Say "I Love You":
- "The person is thinking: 'Yeah, I really do love him. But I hope he showers at least once a day.'" -- Michelle, age 9
- "Some lovers might be real nervous, so they are glad that they finally got it out and said it, and now they can go eat." -- Dick, age 7
Why People In Love Often Hold Hands:
- "They want to make sure their rings don't fall off, because they paid good money for them." -- Gavin, age 8
- "They are just practicing for when they might have to walk down the aisle someday and do the holy matchimony thing." -- John, age 9
Titles of Love Ballads You Can Sing To Your Loved One:
- "'I Love Hamburgers, I Like You!'" -- Eddie, age 6
- "'You Are My Darling Even Though You Also Know My Sister.'" -- Larry, age 8
- "'I Am In Love With You Most of the Time, But Don't Bother Me When I'm With My Friends.'" -- Bob, age 9
- "'How Do I Love Thee When You're Always Picking Your Nose?'" -- Arnold, age 10
- "'Honey, I Got Your Curly Hair and Your Nintendo On My Mind.'" -- Sharon, age 9
- "'Hey, Baby, I Don't Like Girls, But I'm Willing To Forget You Are One!'" -- Will, age 7