Framework for Business Excellence Strategic Thinking and Planning #251014

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand Business Excellence Frameworks: Articulate the core principles and criteria of major excellence models (e.g., Baldrige, EFQM) and use them as a diagnostic tool.

• Conduct a Comprehensive Strategic Analysis: Systematically assess the internal and external environment using advanced tools (PESTLE, Porter’s Five Forces, VRIO) to identify strategic priorities.

• Formulate a Coherent Strategy: Develop a clear mission, vision, and values, and formulate strategic objectives that leverage organizational strengths to capitalize on opportunities.

• Translate Strategy into Action: Cascade strategic objectives into departmental and individual goals using frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).

• Design for Execution and Agility: Establish robust performance measurement systems, governance routines, and feedback loops to ensure strategy execution and enable adaptive learning.

• Foster a Culture of Excellence: Lead the cultural and behavioral changes necessary to embed strategic thinking and a results-oriented mindset throughout the organization.

This course is designed for leaders and professionals responsible for shaping, communicating, and executing organizational strategy and driving performance improvement.

• C-Suite Executives & Business Unit Heads (CEO, COO, CFO, VP of Strategy)

• Directors and Senior Managers of Operations, Business Development, and Performance Excellence

• Strategic Planners, Quality Directors, and Excellence Managers

• Project and Program Managers overseeing strategic initiatives

• High-Potential Managers being groomed for senior leadership roles

• Management Consultants and Internal Advisors focused on organizational performance

• Pre-assessment
• Live group instruction
• Use of real-world examples, case studies and exercises
• Interactive participation and discussion
• Power point presentation, LCD and flip chart
• Group activities and tests
• Each participant receives a binder containing a copy of the presentation
• slides and handouts
• Post-assessment

Day 1: The Foundation – Principles of Business Excellence

• Morning:

  • Module 1: Introduction to Business Excellence: Defining “excellence.” Overview of holistic frameworks: The Baldrige Framework, EFQM Model, and others.

  • Module 2: The Systems Perspective: Understanding your organization as an interconnected system. The role of leadership, strategy, and customers.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 3: Organizational Self-Assessment: Using the excellence framework criteria to conduct a high-level organizational health check.

  • Workshop: The Leadership Lens: Participants assess their organization’s leadership and governance practices against excellence criteria.

  • Day 1 Recap: Diagnosing the starting point.

Day 2: The Strategic Thinker’s Toolkit – Analysis & Diagnosis

• Morning:

  • Module 4: External Environmental Scan: Advanced application of PESTLE analysis and Porter’s Five Forces to understand the competitive landscape.

  • Module 5: Internal Capability Analysis: Identifying core competencies and strategic advantages using the VRIO framework (Value, Rarity, Imitability, Organization).

• Afternoon:

  • Module 6: SWOT to Strategic Implications: Moving from a simple list to a prioritized set of strategic challenges and opportunities.

  • Workshop: The Strategic Situation Analysis: Teams analyze a case study company (or their own) to define key strategic issues.

  • Day 2 Recap: From information to insight.

Day 3: The Architect’s Blueprint – Formulating Strategy

• Morning:

  • Module 7: Defining Organizational Direction: Crafting a compelling mission, vision, and set of values that guide strategic choice.

  • Module 8: Strategy Formulation: Developing strategic pillars and objectives. Introduction to strategy maps for visualizing cause-and-effect relationships.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 9: Making Strategic Choices: Evaluating strategic options using decision matrices. Allocating resources to strategic priorities.

  • Workshop: Building the Strategy Map: Teams develop a strategy map for their case study or organization, linking objectives across perspectives.

  • Day 3 Recap: Creating the master plan.

Day 4: The Engineer’s Plan – Translating Strategy into Action

• Morning:

  • Module 10: The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) & OKRs: Translating strategic objectives into measurable KPIs, targets, and initiatives.

  • Module 11: Cascading and Alignment: Ensuring departmental, team, and individual goals are directly aligned with the organizational strategy.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 12: Initiative Management & Governance: Selecting and managing strategic projects. Establishing a governance rhythm for strategy review (e.g., quarterly strategy reviews).

  • Workshop: Developing a Scorecard: Teams define KPIs and targets for the objectives on their Day 3 strategy map.

  • Day 4 Recap: Bridging the strategy-to-execution gap.

Day 5: The Catalyst’s Role – Leading Execution and Sustaining Excellence

• Morning:

  • Module 13: Leading Strategic Change: Communicating strategy effectively and managing the human and cultural barriers to execution.

  • Module 14: Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement: Integrating operational excellence (Lean, Six Sigma) with strategic learning and adaptation.

• Afternoon:

  • Capstone Activity: The Integrated Strategic Plan: Participants integrate their work from the week into a one-page strategic plan or a concise strategic document for their organization.

  • Final Presentations & Peer Feedback: Teams present their strategic plans and receive constructive feedback.

  • Course Conclusion: Commitment to action, final review, and awarding of certificates.