Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
2010 Baldrige Application Worksheets
Category 2 – Strategic Planning
Note: The intent of this document is to guide my interviews with an applicant to gather information to help them develop
their application. Often, additional information is gathered based in response to the question itself. This tool is not
intended as an assessment guide, nor is it assured to address all required information.
Category 2 – Strategic Planning
I. Strategy Development
1. Briefly describe how strategic planning is used in your organization. What kind of activities does it drive? I am
looking for just a small introduction to strategic planning here that tells why you even do it?
A. Strategy Development Process
1. Strategic Planning
a. If you have a diagram that outlines how strategic planning works, include it here and briefly describe what
happens in each step and when. Otherwise, describe how you do strategic planning – outline the steps and the
timeframe in which they happen.
b. Who do you include in strategic planning, and what role do they play?
c. The question here is how do you ensure that you are looking around in all directions in strategic planning to
ensure that you address any potential threats? The criteria terms this: “identify potential blind spots”.
Generally this is accomplished through a comprehensive environmental scanning activity that looks at
everything you can think of, and then also uses focus groups of different stakeholder groups where you ask what
things you should be looking at. Your answer may be very different, but the idea is the same – how do you keep
from getting sideswiped?
d. During your strategic planning activity, do you have a specific activity to identify the “strategic challenges”
and “strategic advantages” that you showed in the Profile section in section P.2b? Generally, they are an
outcome of the SWOT analysis – the high priority Threats/Weaknesses and Strengths/Opportunities that
represent strategic level issues. Tell me how you determine what the most significant challenges are to your
organization and the most significant advantages that you have.
e. During your strategic planning activity (or any other type of activity), do you have a specific activity to
identify the “core competencies” that you identified in the Profile section in P.1a(2)? Generally, these are
identified as a step in strategic planning where you discuss what things you need to be very good at in order to
accomplish your mission – they are “central to your mission” or which give you a strategic advantage (see
previous question). Core competencies are very hard for your competitors and/or partners to emulate. Tell me
how you determine what your core competencies are.
f. When you do strategic planning, what period of time are you planning for in the long term? Why did you
select that number of years? You want to think about how far out into the future you need to plan in order to be
successful. (Car makers are often planning 10 years into the future because that is generally how often radical
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new designs happen. Many organizations choose five or 10 years because that is the amount of time between
their accreditation or certification audits. Some organizations use a number of five years because their
environment moves so quickly that they can’t see beyond a couple of years.) Then – how long is your planning
for the short-term – think about action plans that people will work on. This is usually one or two years because
that is the amount of time that they are comfortable in making detailed plans because of frequently changing
budget allocations.
g. So, how does your strategic planning process address those time horizons? During environmental scanning
do you look for issues that will be occurring within that longer term? When looking at Strategic Objectives do
you consider that longer-term time frame to be the target to accomplish these objectives? Then, when looking
at the action plans you are outlining, do you establish the schedule for accomplishment in the shorter-term?
2. Planning addresses key factors
a. The first part of this section is asking about how you do environmental scanning. What approach do you use
to identify the data and information that you need to compile in order to inform the people who participate in
planning. The criteria has a few suggestions:
- your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats;
- early indications of technology risks/shifts;
- early indications of educational programs and offerings risks/shifts;
- early indications of risks and shifts in the needs for services;
- early indications of student demographic shifts;
- early indications of community demographic shifts;
- early indications of changes in student and stakeholder needs and preferences;
- early indications of risks associated with competition;
- early indications of risks associated with regulatory environment;
- assessment of core competencies,
- assessment of the sustainability of the organization,
- assessment of the resources that are available to accomplish strategic plan elements
In addition to these, think about other information that you may need in order to be fully informed and get a
peek into your “blind spots”. Things like your opportunities for innovation and to have role-model
performance, education reform efforts, issues related to your governance body.
b. Now, once you have information and data to show light on these blind spots, what is your process within
strategic planning to find issues that need to be addressed, or things that can be capitalized on, and take action
on them?
B. Strategic Objectives
1. Key Strategic Objectives
a. This a “what” question - What are your most important strategic objectives that come from your strategic
planning activity? Strategic Objectives are the statements that identify your longer-term directions and guide
resource allocations. They are the things that you must achieve in order to remain or become competitive and
to ensure long-term sustainability. (Examples would be “Become the employer of choice”, “Be a leaders in
innovative designs”, “Create a broad base of loyal, stable customers”) Try filling out the table on the next
page for your strategic planning results – it will address this question and many of the questions in future
sections as noted.
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
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Bruce R. Beede
2010 Strategic Planning Alignment Matrix
Our Mission is:
Vision:
Stakeholder
(Put your Mission Statement here)
(Put your Vision Statement here)
e.g., Customers/ Students/
Patients
(i.e., Challenges related to
Customers)
(i.e., Advantages related to
Customers)
(If there is a Core Competency
related to either a Challenge or
Advantage)
e.g., Employees
e.g., Suppliers
e.g., Company/ Organization
e.g., Community
(i.e., Challenges related to
employees)
(i.e., Advantages related to
employees)
(If there is a Core Competency
related to either a Challenge or
Advantage)
(i.e., Challenges related to
suppliers)
(i.e., Advantages related to
suppliers)
(If there is a Core Competency
related to either a Challenge or
Advantage)
Values
Put values related to customers
Put values related to employees
Put values related to suppliers
(i.e., Challenges related to the
company/ organization)
(i.e., Advantages related to the
company/ organization)
(If there is a Core Competency
related to either a Challenge or
Advantage)
Put values related to company/
organization
Strategic
Objectives
(i.e., Strategic Objectives to
address this column’s
Challenges and Advantages
and Stakeholder group – e.g.,
Be first choice of customers)
(i.e., Strategic Objectives to
address this column’s
Challenges and Advantages and
Stakeholder group – e.g., Be
first choice of employees)
(i.e., Strategic Objectives to
address this column’s
Challenges and Advantages and
Stakeholder group – e.g., Be
first choice of suppliers)
(i.e., Strategic Objectives to
address this column’s
Challenges and Advantages
and Stakeholder group – e.g.,
Exceed income requirements)
(i.e., Challenges related to the
community/ society)
(i.e., Advantages related to the
community/ society)
(If there is a Core Competency
related to either a Challenge or
Advantage)
Put values related to
Community
(i.e., Strategic Objectives to
address this column’s
Challenges and Advantages
and Stakeholder group – e.g.,
Be irreplaceable to the
community)
Objective
Measures &
Goals (short
team, long
term)
Marketshare > 10%, 14%
Satisfaction > 90%, 94%
Referrals > 9%, 15%
Retention > 60%, 70%
Position open time < 22 days, 12
Satisfaction > 93%, 97%
Avg Training Hours > 32, 40
Retention > 32%, 40%
Exclusives > 10%, 12%
Certified > 50%, 80%
Satisfaction > 93%, 97%
Income $ > 12M, 18M
Expense cost/cust < $200, $210
# sponsored community events
> 5, 15
Name Recognition >5%, 15%
(List any specific strategies that
you will use to accomplish this
column’s Objective. E.g., 1.
Carry more stock of what
customers buy or 2. Make
students successful)
1.1 Carry sufficient top 15%
products purchased
Or
2.1 Provide higher-risk students
more monitoring and
intervention
(List any specific strategies that
you will use to accomplish this
column’s Objective. E.g., 1.
Provide ongoing development
oppty, 2. Infuse fun in
workplace)
1.1 Design growth curriculum
for job type ladders
1.2 Internal promotion policy
2.1 Create new recognition with
heavy involvement in
celebration
(List any specific strategies that
you will use to accomplish
this column’s Objectives.
E.g., 1. Identify external
funding oppty (grants,
endowment))
1.1 Hire formal grant writer
and begin research of
availability of funds
1.2 Create “menu” of funding
oppty for alumni including
endowments
(List any specific strategies that
you will use to accomplish
this column’s Objectives.
E.g., 1. Focus Marketing, 2.
Involvement in high profile
events.)
1.1 Identify where most
customers hear about us and
target marketing there
1.2 Identify where desired
students are and target
2.1 Hold alumni community
Strategic
Challenges
Strategic
Advantages
Core
Competencies
Strategies
Action Plans
(Org. Level
Only)
(List any specific strategies that
you will use to accomplish this
column’s Objective. E.g., 1.
Semi-exclusive contracts where
possible, 2.Certify suppliers)
1.1 Establish exclusive with
suppliers for top products but
with periodic “shopping” clause
2.1 Create certification approach
for key suppliers
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written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
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Bruce R. Beede
b. If you have used the table above, then for each Objective put in the timeframe for achieving them (year
expected to accomplish it). If you have not used the table above, then tell me what your timeframe is for
accomplishment of each of your Objectives.
c. If you used the table above – this is the measure with the target performance for short and longer-term that
you put in under each Objective. If you haven’t used the table above, tell me what your goal (future state,
performance level, or target) is for each of the objectives.
2. Strategic Objectives Balance Needs
a. If you used the table, you have aligned your Objectives to each of your Challenges and Advantages (within
the column). If you haven’t used the table above, tell me how your Objectives address the needs of your
Strategic Challenges and Advantages that you identified in the Profile in P.2b.
b. The table does not address this question. Tell me how your Strategic Objectives relate to any innovations –
either in your programs, offerings, services, operations or your business model.
c. If you used the table, you have aligned your Objectives to your Core Competencies (within the column). If
you haven’t used the table above, tell me how your Strategic Objectives address your Core Competencies that
you identified in the Profile in P.2a(2). These could be current Core Competencies or future ones that you will
need.
d. Tell me how your Strategic Objectives balance your short-term challenges and opportunities against your
longer-term challenges and opportunities. For example, if you have a short-term challenge of a population that
has been hit hard by the recession, how do you balance that against a longer-term opportunity of being able to
produce a large number of workers in a skill to staff a new auto production plant. Address all of the applicable
balancing of challenges and opportunities.
e. If you used the table above you have shown the alignment of Objectives to students and other key
stakeholders. If you haven’t used the table above, tell me how your Strategic Objectives consider and balance
the needs of all students and key stakeholders.
II. Strategy Development
A. Action Plan Development and Deployment
1. Key Action Plans
a. If you used the table in the previous section, then you have shown your key action plans. Note which ones
are short-term (the rows labeled action plans) and which are longer-term (probably the row labeled strategies).
If you haven’t used the table in the previous section, then outline your most important action plans for the
short- and longer-term here.
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
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Bruce R. Beede
b. If you used the table in the previous section, then you have shown your key action plans and strategies. If
not, then you outlined them in the previous question. Either place, note which of them will cause a change in
programs, offerings or services. Then note which ones will cause a change in students, stakeholders and
markets. Then note which ones will cause a change in how you operate (operations).
2. Develop and Deploy Action Plans
a. Do you have a specific process in place to develop action plans and deploy them to the people who will do
them? Some organizations have a unit planning process that is built off of the organization’s strategic plan
(rather than their own wish-list). Other organizations have a specific action planning process that uses a form
that causes them to align their specific plans to the organizational plan. Other organizations drive their
employee’s goals based on what they can do to support the strategic plan. Describe your approach here:
b. What approach do you use to develop action plans and deploy them to the external parties that are affected,
like suppliers, partners, etc. For example – if you had an Objective to begin a certification process for your
suppliers, what approach do you use to include them in the planning of this process to develop the program.
Then how do you deploy the requirements of that certification process to them and help them create a plan to
achieve certification?
c. What approach do you have in place that assures that the gains that you make through these action plans
will be sustained after the action plan is completed? One great answer would be that you include steps in all
action plans to make the improvements or new processes systematic as part of general operations (generally the
“A” step in PDCA). Assignment of an owner is important. Assignment of ongoing budget and people
allocations are important. Continuing monitoring the gains made over a period of time is important so
adjustments can be made if needed.
3. Making Resources Available
a. What process do you have in place that allocates appropriate resources to action plans to ensure that they
can be accomplished (money, people, facilities, etc.)? This process should take into account what resources
your organization needs to operate as normal, then allocates additional resources to action plans. This is
generally some sort of budgeting process that considers what is needed for general operations and then what is
available to invest in action plans. Describe that process here.
b. What method do you use to actually allocate the resources needed to action plans? Is there some form of
cost center transfer to the areas doing action plans? Is there some form of acknowledgement that people’s time
and energy be used toward action plans (such as allowing them to spend x hours per week on a team)?
c. What approach do you use to determine what kind of risks might be associated with an action plan? Do you
do a risk analysis on plans? Do you do a cost/benefit analysis to assess financial risks?
d. If risks are identified in action plans, what do you do to manage those risks? (e.g., monitor measures that
track the risks, review progress regularly, assign a risk manager, etc.)
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
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4. Modify Action Plans
a. What process do you use to rapidly modify action plans if needed? Sometimes changing circumstances
cause changes to action plans (such as the lack of appropriate technology solutions), when that happens how
are the plans changed?
b. When an action plan has been changed, how do you ensure rapid, but appropriate, deployment of that
modified plan to all parties concerned? Both internally and externally (such as to suppliers).
5. Human Resource Plans
a. This is a “What” question. What are your important plans related to human resources that are needed to
accomplish short- and longer-term Strategic Objectives and action plans?
b. How do human resource plans “happen”? i.e., do you have a specific set of action plans that is a Human
Resource Plan – something that considers separately things like demographic shifts and learning needs? If not,
do the specific action plans created by your organization identify any human resource needs (not just
headcount, but things like training, skills, location, etc.) – and if so, who takes those specific elements and
combines them at the top-level to identify commonalities (like similar training for various action plans, or
headcount increases for all action plans, etc.)?
c. What are some examples of impacts that your strategic plan and action plans have on people in your
organization and which human resource plans address them? (e.g., if the strategic plan calls for implementing
more/different technologies, do you have plans to develop and present training to employees on the use of this
new technology?) Also – discuss any changes required in the number of people or the capacity levels of people
in the organization and the human resource plans in place to address them.
6. Key Performance Measures
a. This question is very simply asking what measures you use to determine if your action plans are effective? If
you used the table in the previous section, the measures that you identified in the row for “Objective Measures
and Goals)”, represents key measures toward attaining your Objectives, thus when you accomplish action
plans, it should logically affect those numbers. If you didn’t use the table, tell me what measures your use
(specific measures) to determine if each action plan is effective (these should be the action plans that you
identified in the section above called “1. Key Action Plans”). If your action plans themselves contain
measures for accomplishment, tell me how those measures are identified here and give me some examples.
b. This question asks how you ensure that the measurement system for action plans helps you to align everyone
in the organization toward the things important to the strategic plan success. Generally this is related to how
you deploy the action plans – if all units/departments are setting action plans related to your Strategic
Objectives and they use the Objective’s Measures to set their own goals, then you are ensuring that everyone is
focused on the same things of importance. Other methods are possible too – like including the key measures in
everyone’s performance evaluation. Tell me how your organization does it.
c. If you used the table in the previous section, then you can say that the Strategy Alignment Matrix is how you
ensure that you have measures that cover all key areas of the strategic plan and covers all key stakeholders
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
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Jackie R. Beede
Bruce R. Beede
(because you have measures for each column). If you didn’t use the table, then explain how you ensure you
have measures to track success in all areas of the plan and all key stakeholders.
B. Performance Projection
a. If you used the table in the previous section, and created the goals for the row called “Objective Measures &
Goals”, then you are showing your performance projections for short- and longer-term planning time horizons.
If you didn’t use the table, then tell me what your performance projections are for your key measures that you
described in 6.A above (both short- and longer-term).
b. Now, tell me how you set those projections. Did you just make a wild-guess, an educated-guess, or did you
do something more scientific like a linear progression or estimation of the impact of the action plans on the
current performance year over year?
c. For the projections that you have given – tell me how your levels compare with what you project that your
competitors/similar organizations will be doing. How do you determine what your projections will be for those
competitors/similar organizations?
d. In that comparison you just made to competing or comparable organizations, are there any projections that
you anticipate that they will be doing better than you? If so, what are your plans to address that gap?
This tool and all information contained within this document is the sole property of Accelerated Improvement Mentoring,
Incorporated (AIM, Inc.) and may not be shared or used without the express written consent of Jackie Beede or Bruce Beede.
AIM, Inc.
20612931919
2664 Highway 18 W, Fayette, AL 35555
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