A useful starting point for difficult decisions.
Straw man strategic planning begins with a proposed strategy rather than a blank page. The draft identifies possible direction, priorities, assumptions and risks. It is deliberately open to challenge.
In SHIFFT’s approach, Russell prepares the draft from the available business information and agreed consultation. Your leadership team tests the thinking, adds evidence and refines the plan together.
What goes into the draft?
- The decisions the business needs to make.
- Proposed objectives and strategic priorities.
- Assumptions about customers, capability, capacity and resources.
- Risks, unanswered questions and potential trade-offs.
What does the workshop change?
The workshop tests what must be true for the proposed strategy to work. Leaders contribute different perspectives on the same business. The discussion can confirm a priority, change its sequence, narrow its scope or replace it altogether.
A practical question
“What evidence would make us change this decision?”
That question helps separate a confident opinion from an assumption that needs testing.
How does the method create ownership?
Ownership comes from contributing to the choices and understanding their consequences. The team agrees what matters, what will wait and who will lead the next actions. A facilitator helps the group work through differences without losing sight of the business objectives.
When is an external facilitator useful?
Consider external facilitation when owners disagree about direction, one voice dominates the discussion or the leadership team needs to step away from daily operations. Russell manages the discussion so the people running the business can participate fully.
What happens after the first draft?
The agreed strategy connects to annual outcomes and the next 90-day priorities. Implementation supplies new evidence. Quarterly Strategy Days revisit the assumptions and update the plan as the business learns.