ACADEMY OF
M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U L TA N T S
STRATEGIC PLAN
A LTHOUGH THIS IS THE PLAN OF A REAL
ORGANIZATION , ITS NAME AND REFEREN CES
HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT CLIENT
CONFIDENTIALITY.
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Academy of Management Consultants Strategic Plan
This is the plan of a real organization. Its name and
references to its field have been changed to protect
confidentiality.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Academy is to help counseling firms
and their staffs become indispensable to the management
of client organizations in a changing world.
PREFERRED FUTURE
By the year 2005, the Academy will be known as

the association for counselors who work to enhance
the value, professionalism and reputation of the field;

an organization of strategists, who play an essential
role in helping clients maintain mutually beneficial
relationships with their constituencies;

a learning organization that helps member firms
acquire the information, knowledge and management
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skills required to provide strategic counsel in a
changing world.
MISSION
The mission of the Academy is to help counseling firms
and their staffs succeed, by defining the field, developing
programs to address emerging trends, developing firm
leadership skills, encouraging high standards of firm
practice and promoting professional peer relationships.
CUSTOMERS

Counseling firms, regardless of size, and their
owners/managers are our primary customers. The
Academy will be known as the "firm management
and development organization."

Counseling firm staff are secondary customers of
the Academy.

Clients and potential clients of member firms are
also secondary customers of the Academy.
PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
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GOAL 1: Arrive at a commonly accepted definition of
the field of counseling.
Objective 1a:
Determine the likely future
direction of counseling by FY 2002.
Strategy 1a-1:
Draft a paper on the future of
counseling and circulate for comment to
a sample of the target market of
counselors and clients by September
2001.
Strategy 1a-2:
Conduct focus groups to
discuss an amended draft at the national
conference in November 2001.
Objective 1b: Achieve agreement on a new
definition of the field by FY 2002.
Strategy 1b-1:
Prepare a consensus statement
for adoption at the April 2002 spring
conference.
Strategy 1b-2:
Based on the new consensus
statement, decide whether to change the
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name of the Academy by
November2002.
GOAL 2: Help counseling firms to identify emerging
trends and to address them successfully for themselves
and their clients.
Objective 2a:
Have a system for tracking
strategic trends in place by FY 2003.
Strategy 2a-1:
By November 2002, form an
alliance with the national organization
to jointly develop a marketable strategic
trends database and process as stated in
National's Plan 2010.
Strategy 2a-2:
By June2002, form an alliance
or alliances with vendors, counseling
firms, universities or others to jointly
develop and benefit from a marketable
strategic trends database and process.
Strategy 2a-3:
Develop a pilot/prototype
strategic trends database and process
and complete beta testing by April
2002.
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Objective 2b: Introduce programs to help counseling
firms take advantage of the
strategic
tracking system to help client firms by FY 2003.
Strategy 2b-1:
Merge the strategic tracking
system and the National information
library research service into a single online system by June 2003.
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Strategy 2b-2:
Develop different levels of
program access that address different
levels of user sophistication, resources
and needs by June 2003.
Strategy 2b-3:
Launch a broad marketing
program directed at potential users in
the counseling, business, nonprofit,
educational, association and
government sectors by September 2003.
GOAL 3: Become the primary leadership development
resource for counseling firms.
Objective 3a:
Audit the firm leadership and
management skills needed by large,
medium-size and small counseling firms by
FY 2002.
Strategy 3a-1:
Appoint a representative task
force to analyze available data from
member and nonmember counseling
firms, associations, corporations,
educators and clients. Draft questions
to determine what is needed to achieve
leadership skills, what firms are doing
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to develop them and what client needs
are. Report back by January 2002.
Strategy 3a-2:
Using questionnaires
developed by the task force, utilize
research techniques as needed (focus
groups, surveys, CEO interviews,
epolls, etc.) to determine firm leadership
and management skills required by
target groups. Complete research by
April 2002.
Strategy 3a-3:
Analyze the data and develop a
definition of required firm leadership
skills by September2002.
Objective 3b: Assess the potential for partnerships
in providing professional
development by FY 2002.
Strategy 3b-1:
Using contacts made during
the audit research, identify potential
joint venture partners by April 2002.
Strategy 3b-2:
By July 2002, convene a small
representative group of Academy
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members to consider proposals by
potential partners.
Strategy 3b-3:
By September 2002, conclude
an agreement with at least one outside
partner organization.
Objective 3c:
Revise the professional
development program of the Academy to
start providing the necessary skills training
by FY 2003.
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Strategy 3c-1:
By May 2003, develop a
dynamic, evolving process for providing
timely professional development that
addresses both current and long-range
perspectives.
Strategy 3c-2:
Starting immediately, view
professional development as a profit
center.
Strategy 3c-3:
Launch prototype programs in
September 2002.
Strategy 3c-4: Launch an effective professional
development marketing campaign
by
September 2002 for programs to begin in January
2003.
GOAL 4: Achieve high standards of firm practice
throughout the industry.
Objective 4a: Attract highly qualified senior
counselors to membership in the
academy by FY 2003.
Strategy 4a-1:
Present a "body of work"
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equivalency standard as an alternative
means of achieving Academy
membership for adoption at the 2002
fall conference.
Objective 4b: Arrive at a consensus as to what
constitutes a model standard of firm
practice, and develop a credentialing process for
firms that comply with
the model by
FY 2002.
Strategy 4b-1:
Begin communicating with
Academy members on the steps being
taken to develop a model of firm
standards by November 2001.
Strategy 4b-2:
Audit and analyze the
applicability of standards in other
associations in services businesses by
November 2001.
Strategy 4b-3:
Poll the Academy membership
on common denominators for firm
practice standards by September 2001.
Poll all the large counseling firms on
their views on a model for firm practice
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as well.
Strategy 4b-4:
Appoint a committee of
counselors, corporate communications
directors, and management consultants
to develop a draft model for
recommended firm standards criteria by
April 2002.
Strategy 4b-5:
Present standards to members
for
ado
ptio
n in
Nov
emb
er
200
2.
Objective 4c: Develop a body of knowledge and
educational delivery system to support
model standards of firm practice by
FY 2003.
Strategy 4c-1:
Analyze the Academy's
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programs and materials and begin to
align them with new firm standards by
July 2002. Include programs for
counselors, financial officers,
technology personnel, office managers
and line and staff support personnel at
all levels within counseling firms.
Strategy 4c-2:
Form task forces in each
counseling discipline to analyze all new
information on firm standards, and
begin to set up prototype programs,
texts and materials for each facet of firm
practice by July 2002.
Strategy 4c-3:
By September 2002, consult
with information technology specialists
to place the Academy's information on
firm standards on line.
Strategy 4c-4:
By June 2002, convene panels
of the top authors in the consulting field
to review current literature and
recommend new approaches to address
firm standards in textbooks as they are
revised.
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Strategy 4c-5:
Begin to totally restructure and
redefine Academy training programs to
align them with new firm standards by
January 2003.
Strategy 4c-6:
Launch the complete series of
comprehensive firm-based
programs
By November 2003.
Strategy 4c-7:
Continually review and update
decisions on what should be in the
model standards of for firm practice.
Objective 4d: Develop incentives for agencies to
adopt model standards of practice by
FY 2003.
Strategy 4d-1:
By April 2002, begin to
communicate with all counseling firms
(including members and nonmembers)
about the Academy's plan to create
model firm standards.
Strategy 4d-2:
Appoint a broadly
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representative task force to develop a
process for firm credentialing based on
model firm standards and report by July
2002.
Strategy 4d-3:
Conduct a broad educational
campaign and dialog with counseling
firms to fine tune the credentialing
process and build consensus in time for
adoption by November 2002.
Strategy 4d-4:
Develop a targeted nationwide
marketing campaign to raise client
awareness of the value of a firm that
adheres to model standards by June
2002.
Strategy 4d-5:
By September 2003, broadly
disseminate information on the
marketing campaign to counseling firms
as an incentive to Academy affiliation.
Launch an intensive membership
campaign based on new incentives.
Objective 4e:
Consider the establishment of a
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firm membership eligibility process by FY
2004.
Strategy 4e-1:
Appoint a firm advisory
council to work with the Academy in
updating the code of ethics and
professional conduct for counseling
firms by June 2002.
Strategy 4e-2:
Define what a counseling firm
is and does by April 2003.
Strategy 4e-3:
Determine the minimum size
and minimum billings required, and
how to distinguish a firm from a
freelancer by April 2003.
Strategy 4e-4:
Promote firm eligibility to
counseling firms and client
organizations by June 2004.
GOAL 5: Build mutually rewarding professional peer
relationships among Academy members.
Objective 5a: Determine the most promising areas
for peer interaction based on firm
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need FY 2003.
Strategy 5a-1:
Research members and
nonmembers to determine areas and
levels where they would like to see
interaction with other firms and report
at the 2003 spring conference.
Strategy 5a-2:
Experiment with model
linkages at 2003 spring conference.
Objective 5b: Create firm practice area linkages by
FY 2004.
Strategy 5b-1:
Group interested firms into
mini-networks according to common
interest by November 2002 and
experiment with model linkages at the
national conference in November 2002.
Strategy 5b-2:
Begin offering network
sessions and events at the spring
conference starting in April 2003.
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Strategy 5b-3:
Begin offering network
conference calls on specific topics
desired by member firms by January
2004.
Strategy 5b-4:
Begin offering experimental
live network forums
on a geographic
basis in September 2004.
Objective 5c: Achieve closer integration of all
members by FY 2003.
Strategy 5c-1:
Revise Academy processes and
structure to create opportunities for
more members to become involved in
Academy leadership and activities by
April 2002
Strategy 5c-2:
By June 2002, create and
implement a more highly defined and
effective new member
welcome/information/involvement
process.
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Strategy 5c-3:
By September 2002, launch an
annual telephone chain to contact each
Academy member, assess needs and
encourage participation.
Strategy 5c-4:
Starting with the April 2003
spring conference, increase
opportunities for meeting and
interacting with new people at each
Academy function.
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MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
GOAL M1: Adjust the structure of the Academy to
support its new strategic plan.
Objective M1a: Adopt the strategic management
process by FY 2002.
Strategy M1a-1: Inform membership of how the
new process will work at spring
conference, April 2002.
Objective M1b: Review the governance structure of
the Academy and revise to support
the strategic management process by FY 2002.
Strategy M1b-1: Appoint a broadly
representative task force to review
all structural implications of the
strategic plan and recommend
structural and bylaws changes by
July 2002.
Strategy M1b-2: Negotiate a new relationship
with National based on task force
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recommendations by August 2002.
Strategy M1b-3: Present recommendations at
fall conference in November 2002.
Strategy M1b-4: Gain approval of revised
bylaws at spring conference in
April 1996.
GOAL M2: Move from a hierarchical to a participative
culture throughout the Academy.
Objective M2a: Achieve consensus on a set of core
values for the Academy by
FY 2002.
Strategy M2a-1: Appoint a task force to prepare
a draft of core values for
endorsement by the executive
committee by July 2002.
Strategy M2a-2: Present the draft statement of
core values to the membership by
September 2002 and invite
comment.
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Strategy M2a-3: Adopt a final statement of core
values at the fall conference in
November 2002.
Objective M2b: Establish an effective two-way
communications process with
members, potential members and staff of members
by FY 2003.
Strategy M2b-1: By September2001, start
conducting ongoing opinion
research of members and potential
members to determine trends in
firm management and unmet needs
that the Academy might fill.
Strategy M2b-2: By January 2002, begin
offering online services
that
provide instant two-way member
communicati
ons and
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more timely access to Academy
services.
Strategy M2b-3: By April 2002, launch a
program to train members and
customers how to use the
Academy's new communications
technology to create more client
value.
Strategy M2b-4: Help build a more participative
culture by working with regions
and chapters to offer expanded
local professional development
programs by January 2002,
including member firms' staffs at all
levels.
Objective M2c: Establish an effective two-way
communications process with important
external constituencies by FY 2002.
Strategy M2c-1: By September 2001, offer
forums for CEOs and senior
management and seek speaking
opportunities at key business
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conferences.
Strategy M2c-2: By April 2002, secure at least
one alliance with a major business
organization, such as the Business
Roundtable.
Strategy M2c-3: Ensure that the revised
governance structure of the
Academy supports a more
participative decision-making
process by November 2002.
GOAL M3: Obtain the human and financial resources
required to implement the Academy's strategic plan.
Objective M3a: Identify services in common and
niche services and price accordingly by FY 2003.
Strategy M3a-1: By July 2002, review existing
and additional market research as
needed to determine what Academy
products and services will sell.
Segment audiences by need and
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capture on database.
Strategy M3a-2: By November 2002, conduct
portfolio analysis to match current
and projected programs with
demonstrated needs.
Strategy M3a-3: Develop a price structure based
on the profit center concept by
April 2003.
Objective M3b: Implement a strategy to broaden
Academy membership by FY 2002.
Strategy M3b-1: By November 2001, identify
nonmembers, segment by need,
match needs with offerings, and
enter in database.
Strategy M3b-2: By April 2002, launch a
targeted sales and marketing plan to
increase nondues income by
attracting nonmembers to needspecific products and services.
Strategy M3b-3: By November 2001, appoint a
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task force to convert satisfied firm
customers into firm members where
possible.
Objective M3c: Broaden the use of task forces to
encourage Academy participation by a
wider spectrum of members by FY 2003.
Strategy M3c-1: By April 2002, develop a
database of Academy members'
interests, needs and willingness to
serve as a volunteer.
Strategy M3c-2: By January 2002, create task
forces and teams of volunteers to
develop and implement each of the
strategies in the Academy's
strategic plan under guidance from
the executive committee; avoid
standing committees.
Strategy M3c-3: By October 2002, use service
on task forces as an incubator for
testing and evaluating members for
Academy leadership potential.
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