Strategy Workshop Toolkit

Top-down strategy is no longer appropriate in decentralised organisations. Strategy is now more 'middle-up', created by senior managers via intense, workshop-based initiatives.

But running strategy workshops can be challenging. They require careful preparation and imaginative orchestration so that facts, experience and gut-feel merge to create innovative strategic concepts. Furthermore, high political stakes can make these critical events feel like herding wild cats. Badly run workshops can result in frustration and strategic paralysis. Well-run workshops can result in fresh ideas, joined-up thinking, a motivated team and, ultimately, significant business benefits.

This book provides a practical toolkit to assist the strategy leader in planning and executing successful strategy workshops, including:

• 5 Strategy Success Stories
• 16 Golden Rules
• 4 Model Workshop Formats
• 6 Creative Techniques for Workshops
• 6 Evaluation Techniques for Workshops
• 7 Workshop Essentials
• 190 Practical Tips

1. Five Strategy Success Stories
• Overview
• Diversification Strategy
• Technology Strategy
• Global Marketing Strategy
• Business Process Re-engineering Strategy
• Global Production Strategy
2. Sixteen Golden Rules
• Overview
• Plan a Journey of Discovery
• Herd the Wild cats
• Create a Burning Platform
• Secure Executive Sponsorship
• Get Everyone on the Same Page
• Structure the Team
• Use Consultants Wisely
• Engage the Team
• Predict Winners and Losers
• Blend Experience, Gut-feel and Facts
• Find the Right Level of Data
• Estimate the Size-of-the-Price
• Exploit the Breakthrough Point
• Define How to Make It Happen
• Move from Planning to Doing
3. Four Model Workshop Formats
• Overview
• Pilot Workshop
• Aggregation Workshop
• Finalisation Workshop
• Audit Workshop
4. Sex Creative Techniques for Workshops
• Overview
• Formal Brainstorm
• Break-out Brainstorm
• Carousel Brainstorm
• Option or Scenario Development
• Storyboarding
• Action Planning
5. Six Evaluation Techniques for Workshops
• Overview
• Dot Priorisation
• Clustering
• Gallery Walk and Issue Capture
• Weighted Criteria Scoring
• 2x2 Matrices/Bubble Charts
• Traffic Light Analysis
6. Seven Workshop Essentials
• Room Layouts
• Equipment and Materials
• Choosing the Venue
• Participation Guidelines
• The Right Number of Participants
• Summarising Techniques
• Negotiating Points of Tension

• Appendix — 190 Practical Tips — Checklist