Strategic Planning

The process of strategic planning is as important as the plan. Through participation in the process, stakeholders "buy in" to the changes that result and resistance to the plan is reduced, if not eliminated. For these reasons, ACCORD ensures a "team approach" to strategic planning through:

• Meaningfully involving the organization's key stakeholders: sponsors, board, physicians, senior management and other relevant parties;
• Eliciting board and executive staff input into the planning process to be used;
• Creating a workable, flexible plan with clear accountability for implementation.

Through these participative processes, clients clarify their mission and core values, identify their vision for the longer-term future, develop measurable goals, and create shorter term objectives.

ACCORD's strategic planning counsel can be as comprehensive as the client desires, i.e., beginning with information gathering and proceeding through implementation. Or, consultants can offer targeted planning interventions on specific issues, such as new product/service development.

Typical steps in a comprehensive strategic planning engagement include:

• Convene a project initiation meeting;
• Orient the planning task force;
• Gather and analyze data / information;
• Conduct stakeholder input sessions;
• Facilitate strategic planning retreats with planning task force;
• Conduct stakeholder feedback sessions;
• Facilitate planning task force follow-up meeting;
• Prepare final strategic plan document.

In any case, ACCORD's approach is collaborative, working with the client's data, expertise, and staff, thus minimizing the cost to the client and increasing the likelihood of successful implementation due to the active participation of key stakeholders in the process.