The Imperatives For Creating a Great Strategic Plan

The world is going to be returning to “normal” over the course of 2021 - but what normal looks like now is not what it looked like before 2020. We have seen flaws in our strategy and execution but also opportunities for growth, within our companies and within the market. But, in the midst of constant execution and business activity, how do you step back to assess how you move forward?


Having a structured strategy and roadmap creation process is the key.

And a good strategy and execution process has three steps:

  • Reflect

  • Recalibrate

  • Redefine and Commit

Reflect: The world provided a lot of learning over the past 18 months. Take a step back and reflect on what went well, what didn’t go well, and what initiatives succeeded and which ones failed.

  • You may have learned which Tier 1/Tier 2/Tier 3 suppliers were at risk from disruption - or if you’re a supplier, you learned which manufacturers you want to grow with

  • You may have learned that your S&OP processes didn’t provide you with clear guidance and decision-making authority to triage and prioritize during times of crisis

  • You may have grown tired of overseas shipping challenges and now want to change your source base

  • You actually may have seized the opportunity caused by some of these disruptions for big players and have established yourself in the marketplace.

Recalibrate: Given the business climate and your learnings, a stale 3-to-5 year strategy isn’t going to cut it. It’s time to review with your leadership team the direction of your organization. How can you prepare for your future based on the new environment?

  • What is your current state - where are you starting from now?

  • Where do you need to go now based on the reflections and changes in the environment?  What are your new targets?

  • What strengths can we leverage?

  • What weaknesses do we need to address?

  • What opportunities should we accelerate?

  • What threats are now on the horizon?

Redefine and Commit: Now you’ve got a revised strategic outlook - but it’s time to make hard decisions about priorities and commitment. The world is still challenging, with ongoing chip shortages, material shortages, freight challenges. But the time is NOW to define your concrete roadmap, commit your resources to making traction, and insert a process for managing your strategy on a regular cadence going forward. 

These all sound like easy steps, right? Why don’t we always do this?

It’s challenging enough to step out of the day-to-day business to work on the business. It’s even more challenging to see clearly what has happened and what decisions need to be made in the midst of personal and political climates that are shifting.

Zefyr Consulting can help. As a team of expert professionals in the Footwear and Apparel Operations space, we can be your expert advisor partner as you redefine your strategy and roadmap going forward. With our experience and network, we can provide guidance and perspective on how to optimize your efforts to maximize your results.

We are currently booking strategic roadmap projects to begin in July. Reach out today to get started.


Bob Jones#Strategic Planning, #Strategic Thinking, #leaderhship