Flexibility crucial to planning in atypical environment

We have entered into the fourth quarter of the year. Typically, many organizations in this time are engaged in strategic planning activities for the new year and beyond. However, 2020 has not been a typical year.

We have confronted COVID-19-related shutdowns and the associated supply chain constrictions and modifications. Personal losses have touched many. There have been changes in customers’ acquisition habits. What was a river of technology has become a tidal wave of virtual engagement with customers, suppliers and teammates.

Additionally, as we look forward to next year, interest rates seem as though they will remain low for the foreseeable future. The income of the unemployed may continue to be constrained due to the lack of a stimulus package from the federal government and slow rehiring. The above economic factors — plus more specific ones appropriate to your organization — will probably continue to be in a state of flux into next year. In this type of environment, your strategic planning must become flexible enough to adjust to the dynamic environment we are all experiencing.

In my work with clients, we usually spend some time at the end of a strategic planning activity with a little time to discuss contingency planning. However, at this time, I believe that contingency planning is the new strategic planning.

Typically, a key element of contingency planning is to engage in scenario planning. Scenario planning is fundamentally modeling

anticipated future occurrences based upon projections of key market, societal, technological, talent and other factors critical to your organization. I contend we are formally and informally performing contingency planning on every level from our nation down to our households.

I will briefly discuss four elements to a contingency planning process.

First, there needs to be a clear understanding of the key factors that impact your organization. Additionally, go one step further and identify the factors that are critical to your organization’s key factors. Call them B factors to make it simple.

Second, your existing planning process needs to be accelerated. The actual time from identified need to pivot to a new plan and the plan’s creation has to be compressed. The flexibility of your team or talent to react to and implement the new plan puts additional emphasis on your talent optimization.

A major component of the process is an internal monitoring process to track and measure the changes to the A and B critical factors for your organization. This process should include input from your entire staff, customers, suppliers and contacts. Based upon your predetermined mile markers, your management team can then modify the contingency/strategic plan to respond to the needs of your customers, team members and organization.

Lastly, the plan needs to take into account the items that worked, what were surprises, or those items whose importance was not properly assessed. All valuable input to improve the process.

These are challenging times for all of us. A timely, flexible plan might help the entire team cope a little better.

Cornell Wright is the author of “31 Coffee Breaks to a Better Organization,” a trainer and consultant at The Parker Wright Group Inc. in Stratford. The firm strengthens clients’ team development in pursuit of customer service strategies and processes and is a Certified Partner of Predictive Index. He can be reached at 203-377-4226 or cornell @parkerwrightgroup.com.