Strategic Planning Resources

How to Write a Strategic Plan You’ll Want to Use

Most plans collect dust. This five-step guide shows you how to create one that doesn’t. Inspire action, align your team, and drive real results.

Why Strategic Planning Matters

Running a business without a strategic plan is like stepping into the batter’s box without a clue what the pitcher is throwing. You might get lucky, but odds are you’ll swing and miss.

Many business leaders assume a strategic plan is simply paperwork, something you fill out at a company retreat and then shelve. But it’s actually your GPS. It tells you where you are, where you’re headed, and how you’re going to get there.

What Is a Strategic Plan?

A strategic plan is the roadmap that guides an organization toward its long-term objectives. In simple terms, it answers two questions:

Where are we going to play?
How are we going to win?

Think of it like Remember the Titans: once the team had a clear mission and a unified playbook, they stopped tripping over each other and started winning games.

Which Strategic Planning Framework
Should You Use?

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
There are proven frameworks you can lean on:

StratOp

A holistic, perspective-driven framework (our favorite).

EOS®

Great for operational alignment.

The 8 Components of a Strategic Plan

A simple worksheet that gives you a taste of (but doesn’t replace) a StratOp session.

Read Our Comparison of EOS vs. StratOp

Check Out the 8 Components of a Strategic Plan

Step 1

Step 1: Reflect the Current State of the Business

Before you start charting where you want to go, you need a clear-eyed view of where you are. Skipping this step is like starting a road trip without checking the gas gauge.

Reflection means taking an honest inventory of what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changing around you.

How to Do It

Ask: “Where do we currently stand?”
Use the Four Helpful Lists to capture:
- What’s working
- What needs improvement
- What’s changing externally
- What risks might be ahead
- Add a Patterns & Trends analysis to spot industry shifts before they hit.

Like Neo in The Matrix, leaders have to swallow the red pill before they can see reality for what it is.

But Neo also didn’t do it alone. Reflection works best when it’s done with your team. After all: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Download the Four Helpful Lists Worksheet »

Need help facilitating this step? Get in touch with a Barzel Guide.

Step 2

Step 2: Create Mission & Vision Statements

Your mission is your “why we exist.” Your vision is your “where we’re going.” Without both, you’re like a ship drifting at sea.

How to Do It

Write a clear, present-tense mission statement.
Write a future-oriented vision statement.
Keep them short, memorable, and actionable.

Think about Moses leading Israel: the mission was survival and faithfulness in the wilderness, but the vision was the promised land. You need both to lead your people forward.

Step3

Step 3: Set Goals & Objectives

Now it’s time to set your targets. Goals create direction. Without them, every shiny object looks worth chasing.

How to Do It

Decide on a time horizon (1, 3, or 5 years).
Use SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound).
Align goals with mission and vision.

Check out our Strategic Plan Toolkit. Components 2 and 3 will help you develop your vision and mission statements.

Step 4

Step 4: Determine Action Steps

A plan without action is just wishful thinking. This step is about breaking big goals into clear, accountable actions.

How to Do It

Write short, tactical steps that move goals forward.
Assign each step to one person (because accountability matters).
Set deadlines to keep momentum.

This is Nehemiah rebuilding the wall: everyone had a section, everyone knew their role, and progress happened because of clear responsibility.

Need help structuring your action plan? We can help.

Movie moment: In Moneyball, the A’s had one clear goal: get on base. That single-minded clarity shaped every decision. Your goals should do the same.

Step 5

Step 5: Leave Room for Progress & Renewal

A strategic plan isn’t a static document. It should be living, breathing, and adjusting with you.

How to Do It

Hold quarterly check-ins to track progress.
Leave space in the plan for notes and adjustments.
Host an annual renewal session to reset priorities.

The Strategic Planning Cycle

Tips from Experience

1 Be honest about your business. Don’t sugarcoat it.
2 Share the vision. Cascade it beyond the C-suite.
3 Track KPIs. What gets measured gets managed.
4 Stay accountable. Use meetings to keep momentum.
5 Be flexible. A plan is a guide, not a prison.

Meet the Strategic Planning Team

We’re not a big firm with a junior associate showing up to run your retreat. You’ll work directly with seasoned facilitators who bring wisdom, candor, and clarity to every session.