Strategic sessions: what is this tool and who can benefit from it

What are strategic sessions

Strategy sessions are a meeting format for executives, during which they discuss plans for the development of the company. This tool helps:

• assess the current position of the company, identify its strengths and weaknesses;
• find ways to avoid problems or solve existing ones;
• define an action plan - specific steps to achieve the goals;
• set benchmarks to measure success.

A strategic session is a kind of brainstorm. So, at the meeting, we discuss the problems and successes of departments, set goals for each of them, draw diagrams and graphs on an interactive online whiteboard.

For these purposes, we have chosen Miro. This tool allows you to capture thoughts and ideas in a visual format. At the same time, all session participants have access to it from anywhere in the world and from any device.

After that, we conduct tactical planning: the head of each department breaks down his tasks into smaller steps.

How to conduct a strategy session

Here are a few steps to help you get organized.

Determine the frequency of meetings

There are no fixed time frames for holding strategic sessions. Some companies prefer to hold quarterly meetings, while others may hold them every six months or a year.

So you can set any frequency of meetings that is convenient for you.

In our company, strategic sessions are held once a quarter. Then we break the intended goals for some kind of sprint. To do this, you need to decide what steps to take to solve large problems, how long it will take in general, which departments will be involved and how much resources they have.

Managers then decompose tasks at the department level, if necessary. And after 3 months, we check the schedule.

Invite the right people

Who you invite to the strategy session will depend on the list of issues that need to be sorted out. For example, if you are holding a meeting to discuss the overall business strategy, you should call the heads of departments. You can also invite project managers who are responsible for key indicators.

If your strategy session is devoted to the review and discussion of some data, it is worth attracting commandwho collected this information and understands its importance.

Choose a date and time that is convenient for everyone

When setting a date and time, consider the opinion of everyone. Avoid scheduling meetings with employees the day before they are due. Maybe they have an important appointment. meeting or there are burning tasks they can't put off. As a result, you can put them in an awkward situation.

When giving a date, indicate how long the session will take. For example, in our company, the entire working day is allotted for this event. And in this case, it is important to take breaks on time, giving yourself and colleagues the opportunity to relax.

Set an agenda

The agenda may include important topics, the main stages of the session, issues that need to be discussed. Do not add a large number of points to it - it is better to indicate the main topic. For example, it could be entering a new market.

By brushing aside unnecessary questions, you will be able to stay focused on the main task.

At the end of the strategic session, be sure to go through the entire agenda again and consolidate the agreements reached.

Ask participants to prepare in advance

Managers should be aware of the current indicators of the department: the workload level of subordinates, the total volume of tasks, and so on.

They should also have up-to-date information on how and when key indicators - in both the short and long term. If managers need to discuss some issues and problems of the department, they should also prepare a list of them in advance.

Before some strategic sessions, it may be useful not only to circulate the agenda of the meeting, but also to prepare a detailed report on the progress made on important tasks. You can summarize goals and their associated KPIs in spreadsheets.

Organize a meeting

During the meeting, you should not only go over all the issues, but also give people the opportunity to speak honestly and express their opinions. Encourage participants to do so, but try not to interrupt others and return to those interrupted.

It is often more efficient to hand over the conduct and control of the session to the host (moderator). This allows the director to move into the same field with employees and move from monitoring the event to active interaction with managers and solving problems.

Take notes during the meeting

You need to record the main points, ideas, data, timelines and all other important information that you discuss in the session, as it will be useful in further tactical planning.

Each department always has an understanding of how much time is needed to complete a particular task. This allows already during the session to outline indicative terms.

Leaders usually capture information as they go along, but a general report should also be prepared after the session.

In our company, the moderator is responsible for this. That is, he not only organizes and supervises the meeting, but also generates a report on the decisions made.

Ask for feedback

Thanks to it, you can see different points of view and find out what Colleagues pay special attention. And also - to stimulate their interaction with each other.

Ask participants to write about any problems. Better yet, use the survey app to see their responses in real time. For example, these may be questions regarding the overall feeling of the effectiveness of the session and various organizational issues, as well as wishes for future events.

Who is this tool for?

I believe that business cannot exist without planning. They should always be dealt with - regardless of the niche and format of your work.

Without your own strategy, you run the risk of misprioritizing or overlooking the problems of a particular department, all of which will affect the bottom line of the entire company. As a result, sooner or later, internal problems will become larger and more destructive for the company.

Strategic sessions will help to cope with them and establish a workflow. Therefore, in my opinion, they will be useful for any teams with more than 3-4 people.

After all, the more departments you have responsible for individual issues, the greater the disunity of leaders can be. And with the help of strategic sessions, you can synchronize company plans and ensure the best understanding inside her.