Strategy Survival Guide
Strategy Survival Guide
Strategy Survival Guide
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<strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> <strong>Guide</strong> Version 2.1<br />
Prime Minister’s <strong>Strategy</strong> Unit<br />
home | strategy development | strategy skills | site index<br />
<strong>Strategy</strong> Development > Strategic Direction Setting > Management Issues<br />
Project Management<br />
The project management plan should be reviewed and revised in response to any changes in priorities,<br />
milestones, or meeting dates. Initial thought should also be given to the project end game. For example, how<br />
the final report will be produced and communicated.<br />
People Management<br />
Team roles, responsibilities and workstreams should continue to be monitored and progress assessed. It<br />
may be an appropriate time for informal mid-project appraisals and to seek feedback from the team.<br />
This is also the time to start thinking about whether any changes are required to the composition of the team.<br />
For example, to bring in more policy-oriented team members who can start working up policy options in order<br />
to achieve the strategic direction being identified. Involving representatives of delivery agencies will also help<br />
to ensure strategy is grounded in front line reality and help to secure buy-in. At this stage in the project it may<br />
be useful to have another team-building event, particularly if there are new team members coming on board.<br />
Stakeholder Management<br />
Continued active management of stakeholders will be required. In particular, it is important to unpack the<br />
meaning of ‘we’ when asking "where do we want to be?". Many initiatives fail because ‘we’ is assumed to be<br />
clear. However, different elements in government, the public sector and private sector will have different<br />
ideas. It is therefore fundamental to confirm that there is a clear and united ‘we’ at this stage.<br />
In particular, at this stage in the project it will be important to meet with stakeholders to discuss emerging<br />
strategic options. This will enable agreement to the proposed option to be secured, and also to test how<br />
radical the subsequent policy recommendations can be. It is important that the analysis is presented clearly<br />
and logically, with a compelling story. The storyboarding technique can be of assistance when preparing<br />
presentations. The stakeholder management plan should be revisited and revised according to any<br />
changes in stakeholder support or influence.<br />
Communications Management<br />
The communications plan should also be reviewed and revised in the light of any changes. Communications<br />
during the phase should be evaluated to identify any problems and lessons learned. Thought should also<br />
start to be given to how to communicate the project outputs at the end of the project.<br />
Useful links:<br />
> managing people and the project<br />
> managing stakeholders & communications<br />
<strong>Strategy</strong> <strong>Survival</strong> <strong>Guide</strong> – <strong>Strategy</strong> Development<br />
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