Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat sets Jeff Swanson and Ardent Consulting apart from other consultants? - Jeff has a keen mind and thinks critically but not negatively.
- Jeff forms action plans to take advantage of opportunities not just solve a problem.
- Jeff makes seemingly complex solutions simple by reaching for core opportunity not symptomatic problems.
- Jeff focuses you and your organization on 1 or 2 initiatives that will give you the biggest bang for your efforts.
- Jeff is straight forward, honest and will tell you exactly what he believes is the best course of action for your business.
- Jeff will supply you with the brutal facts as he sees them to attack your business opportunities and more money for your company.
- Jeff has direct experience in Fortune 500 companies and has translated those experiences into his own small business success.
back to TOP How can big business solutions work for me when I don’t have the capital that those big companies have? - Business principles are the same for large and small businesses alike. The scale simply changes.
- Big businesses have already tried and refined their methods. Smart companies don’t reinvent the wheel they take ideas that are proven and adapt them for their own use.
- Money is not the answer. Thinking will provide the answer to your questions. Capital resources are spent heavily on technology and marketing in large companies. Smart big companies use technology and marketing as a means to an end not as an end to itself.
- Best practices are based on ideas, method, understanding and process so you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a huge impact. Technology assists you in carrying out your plans and achieving your vision. Therefore the thinking needs to come first and technology needs to serve the thinking.
- Without strategy, infrastructure and operations, big business could not service the customers they are trying to attract. Focusing on the right people and the right activities must come before advertising or you are wasting your money. Advertising is a vehicle of a strategy not a strategy in itself.
- Great companies, big and small, focus their resources on achieving their primary objective and nothing else. You can do this too.
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What is a strategy?
A strategy is a plan or method that leads to the accomplishment of a goal or the realization of a vision. A strategy is important because it is like a road map that can be followed and most importantly can be communicated to others for them to be guided.
What is a vision?
A vision is an image of the future. A strategy needs to have a vision at its core. A vision is an image of the future. To organize thoughts and to communicate visions to others we sometimes break them down into goals. A vision: - Is a big idea
- Is imagination
- Is a concept
- Is foresight
- Gets people excited
- Is ambitious
- Communicates the future
- May or may not be tangible
- Can sometimes be vague
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What is a goal?
Goals are an end result that can be measured. The ability to measure goals makes visions tangible and gives the vision a frame. It also gives those striving to execute the vision an opportunity to react to it based on actual results compared to the goal. A goal: - Is a destination
- Is a piece of a big idea
- Is tangible
- Is measurable
- Is actionable
- May be based on the past
Plans can be built for visions and goals. However, visions require more strategic thinking and goals require more tactical planning. back to TOP What is the difference between a vision and goal?
A vision is the image of the future communicated in words while a goal is a destination communicated in measurable terms. Goals help define results of the vision – the vision defines the future. Examples of Visions: - “Help people and business throughout the world realize their full potential” —Microsoft
- “…offering people opportunities to chase their dreams
—”Intel - …every youth should have food, a warm place to stay, caring adults and opportunities to grow and succeed
—YouthCare, Seattle
Examples of Goals:: - To build together the first choice airline and global alliance network with the best people; each committed to exceeding our customers' expectations every day.
—From NWA mission statement - …produce superior financial returns for shareowners by providing high value-added supply chain, transportation, business and related information services through focused operating companies competing collectively, and managed collaboratively…
—From Fed Ex mission statement - Feed 9000 homeless kids in the coming year
- Increase sales 10%
- Achieve a 99% on time rating
back to TOP What is the difference between a strategic plan and a tactical plan? - A strategic plan is a map to a vision a tactical plan is a map to a goal.
- The difference between a strategic plan and a tactical plan depends on the complexity of the goal or vision. Complexity can be based on the newness of the concept, the lack of clarity of the vision, lack of current technology or infrastructure, and require a large amount of people and resources, money, etc.
- The more complex the vision or goal the more the need for a strategic based plan; the more clearly defined the goal the more tactical a plan will be.
- A strategic plan will likely encompass a big idea or a whole organization, whereas a tactical plan will revolve around one goal or a part of an organization.
- A tactical plan may be one year or less in time frame, whereas a strategy will stretch from one year to many decades in scope.
- A tactical plan will involve many action steps, whereas a strategic plan will have milestones.
- A strategic plan will involve many tactical plans but a strategic plan will not be in a tactical plan.
- Both types of plans supply organizations with a route to an important destination.
back to TOP What are the benefits of planning strategically? - It leads to transformation change and success.
- Strategic planning connects visions to goals, goals to action and action to results.
- It defines clarity of purpose for the organization and focuses the organizations actions toward that purpose.
- It frames and galvanizes the organizations purpose for stakeholders outside the organization.
- It leads to a tactical plan with timing and action steps to be executed.
- It aligns processes, infrastructure and personnel to the vision increasing operational effectiveness.
- It gives a clear image of what success looks like when the goal is reached.
- It provides metrics to monitor progress to the goal and to drive reaction, if they indicate the execution is not on track for success.
- It improves teamwork and results.
- The process of going through a plan is a benefit in itself:
- The process stretches the organizations’ view of itself through the development of an image or vision.
- The process, when experienced as a group, brings together ideas and practices from many differing viewpoints and creates synergistic ideas.
- The process, when experienced as a leadership group, creates a common bond and ownership of the vision.
- The process promotes strategic thinking.
- The process includes a SWOT analysis and an Operational Inventory. A SWOT analysis is a review of the organizations Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. An Operational Inventory is a review of the current infrastructure, processes and human capital.
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