How to develop a strategic plan as a teamDefine the purpose of your plan. Give everyone a chance to talk. Building a successful team is more than finding a group of people with the right mix of professional skills. During the interview with more than 500 leaders for Corner Office, I asked them all about the art of fostering a strong sense of teamwork.
Your ideas can help you lay the foundation for a highly productive team that can communicate, cooperate and innovate in an environment of mutual trust and respect. In addition to team members, a strategic plan keeps stakeholders informed. They must participate in the development of the strategic plan so that the goals and strategies are aligned with their expectations. Between what you want for the organization, the team and the employees as individuals, setting goals can help create a virtuous circle in which everyone moves in the same direction.
Finding ways to define and design a path to growth and success can help ensure that all members of your team are prepared to reach their full potential. When setting goals, keep in mind that they must be measurable, with specific and achievable objectives and deadlines. Actively participating in the development of your strategy will make it more meaningful for you and your team and will entail a higher level of personal commitment when it comes to carrying it out. A team strategy is an organized design or structured plan that leads to the successful achievement of specific objectives at the team level.
You probably have a clear idea of your team's strategy, but unless you have a mind-reading team, having a well-thought-out strategy development process will help prevent you and your team members from getting lost and taking unnecessary (and often very costly) detours.