As the end of the year approaches, it's time to pause and analyze the results achieved. Now is the time to strategically plan for next year, make adjustments to the global plan, review future scenarios, and redefine medium and long-term plans. What's being said in the market is that 2015 will be a year of recession, due to the instability of Brazilian economy and to uncertainties regarding the European and American markets. According to our government, the country should grow 3% in relation to GDP (Gross Domestic Product), but economists, on the contrary, do not bet on growth greater than 1.2% in 2015. Even China has been stabilizing its economic growth rates in recent years.
In this context, organizations are beginning to review their strategic planning, assuming pessimistic scenarios and adopting very conservative behaviors for the coming year. However, it is in crisis scenarios that new markets emerge. Therefore, we have separated 3 tips for your annual planning review to avoid being paralyzed by fear of the new year:
Make space for innovation
If the scenario isn't so favorable, encourage your collaborators to think of different ways to execute their internal processes and even how your company positions itself in the market. Hold brainstorms, create awards for innovative ideas, encourage people to “think outside the box.” Since everyone else will be hitting the brakes, those who find ways to overcome the recession and remain strong in the market will stand out.
Excel at the indicators, goals, and action plans.
When planning is done well and the company commits to effectively executing the outlined plan, it becomes easier to identify which strategies are most effective, which ones didn't work, and which ones were altered due to unforeseen circumstances. Thus, managers can coordinate internal initiatives and respond quickly to market opportunities and day-to-day problems. Therefore, pay special attention to setting challenging but realistic goals, with consistent indicators and achievable action plans.
Automate your management, improve decision-making, and strengthen your strategy monitoring.
All a manager needs for decision-making is information. And to facilitate analysis, information must be processed automatically to avoid data loss, calculation errors, or delays in report delivery. To make this process faster and more effective, it is worth investing in tools that integrate strategic information and present them in an analytical and consistent manner. The software Strategy Management For example, it receives the data that is included in the system by each manager periodically, automatically manages deadlines and the achievement of goals, creates charts and maps to facilitate information tracking, and also sends alerts if any action is far below expectations. Thus, nothing escapes the manager's notice, who has the opportunity to make decisions, change the course of action, and achieve the proposed objectives with agility and efficiency.
The annual review of planning is essential for the success of any company, confronting reality with what was planned and thus acquiring knowledge to reinforce what worked and avoid past mistakes. Even though Brazil is going through a difficult year in 2015, a good strategic planning Allied with creativity and caution can ensure the sustainability of your business in a time of crisis.
