Part 4: Enterprise Planning Lifecycle Deployment & Final Thoughts

This is the fourth and final piece in Forum Solutions’ four-part series: An Integrated Approach for Maximizing Strategy Realization: The Enterprise Planning Lifecycle.

We began the series by highlighting the case for developing a formal multidisciplinary Enterprise Planning Lifecycle (EPL) process to increase strategy deployment performance. In Part 2, we outlined the framework for an EPL. In Part 3, we covered important design considerations for launching an EPL in a way that optimizes effectiveness. In Part 4, we cover deployment, building a sustainable cycle of management, and some final thoughts.

Deploying

A multi-phased roll-out approach is best when deploying a new process with enterprise reach:

Start with a limited scope: (pilot-like) roll-out under the supervision of the main C-suite governance committee. As you go through the first cycle of the new process the EPM department can be on point for collecting feedback and optimizing the EPL in real-time.
EPM Department: Launching a new enterprise shared service is a significant undertaking, as described in another Forum Series. However, an effective EPM function can be established with a small core team:
- Executive: An executive is needed to manage the department and interact with the C-suite, the Board, and other executives on EPL optimization. This role will also serve as an EPL advocate and coach to other executives and leaders throughout the organization. This role requires a high level of engagement and organizational understanding.
- Program Management: The EPL is a program that requires active management. There are on-going documentation, reporting, intake, technology, training, and other associated activities required for a well-functioning EPL. This function effectively handles and optimizes EPL infrastructure.
- Internal Consultants: When strategic initiatives are identified there often are not enough resources to ensure that these efforts have the right guidance to get started. An internal team that can be deployed against these strategic priorities is incredibly helpful in doubly insuring strategy development, planning, and/or execution. The primary justification for the EPM department is increased strategic planning and deployment effectiveness. However, some organizations also utilize this function and the associated governance structure as an external consulting clearinghouse. Large or sensitive consulting engagements are channeled and approved through the EPL. This approach increases visibility and coordination, ensures objectivity of the EPL, and adds external perspectives to the EPM.
- Roll-out communication: Utilizean internal communication plan to set expectations with a broader audience. Multi-channel engagement is most effective in reaching different audiences: interactive town halls, video, emails, intranet, etc. Consistent calls to action ensure the entire organization appropriately engages in execution.

Sustainable Management & Monitoring

“The ongoing engagement of the C-suite is critical to drive and sustain accountability.”

Once the new governance structure and EPL have rolled out, it enters a phase of continuous improvement. After the excitement of the launch, the ongoing engagement of the C-suite is critical to drive and sustain accountability. All initiatives suffer entropy when out-of-sight and out-of-mind. There is nothing that drives accountability more than having initiative owners present progress to-date to a C-suite governance committee. This expectation encourages program owners to think proactively to address issues in order to build credibility with leadership.

Another advantage of managing the EPL will be an improvement of the current state reporting systems. The increased level of accountability and scrutiny will also encourage all levels of the organization to make sure that they are receiving accurate and timely data to show progress against goals. We have seen this process drive new conversations with business intelligence teams regarding the necessary data architecture and visualization tools to support the strategic planning and deployment process across all the governance hierarchies (e.g. automatically rolled-up reporting that also allows for detailed troubleshooting).

Recap & Final thoughts

Many organizations invest significant time and effort into strategic planning efforts, yet do not consider their total ROI relative to realizing what was proposed versus vs. ultimately delivered. Additionally, they rarely have the framework to understand systematically why actual results may not have matched expected results. This is especially salient if you find yourself wondering:

Why didn’t we accomplish what we set out to do?
How do we hold underperforming departments accountable?
Are we working on the right things?
How do I get other business units to perform?

As you recall from Part 1 of this series, the most common belief executives hold as to the reason why strategic planning initiatives didn’t realize expected benefits was a lack of leadership endorsement and support, especially at the C-suite level.[1] If these concerns resonate with you, consider assessing and optimizing your Enterprise Planning Lifecycle (EPL):

Figure 2 Forum’s Enterprise Planning Lifecycle Framework

Assess current state: Seehow strategic planning integrates with finance and operational processes. How are all parts of the EPL currently implemented? Identifying gaps will be important and feed future state design.
Design the optimal EPL: What EPL workflow and associated governance structure works best for your organization? Remember to balance the need for visibility and structure with committee fatigue. Also, design your reporting to have the right level of detail for the audience. Finally, make sure you have an EPL process owner established to help facilitate and monitor the process (such as an EPM department).
Orchestrate the vetting roadshow: The roadshow socializes the idea, solicits feedback, addresses concerns, and gains individual buy-in prior to the final approval. Feedback gained during this phase is incorporated into the EPL design and approach.
Deploy the EPL & EPM: Use a phased roll-out approach and make sure to effectively communicate what is different and what is expected with impacted staff regarding the new function.
Monitor performance: Use the governance structure, KPI reporting, and other vehicles to ensure a high-performing EPL process that is both sustainable and continues to evolve.
Have the courage to say no: Michael Porter said that “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.”[2] A successful EPL framework promotes prioritization and deliberate consideration of resource allocation. When initiatives have a poor outlook, the initial reaction is to pile on new efforts to make up for the loss in revenue (or other goals) and overload the same operational resources. A high functioning EPL is not afraid to end initiatives that are taking resources away from higher priority efforts with greater ROI.

Enterprise planning is something many take for granted, assuming that once the plans are developed, they have the right accountability and reporting measures in place to be successfully deployed. Rather than waiting for missed milestones and the subsequent reactive plan, leaders can actively establish tight linkages across Finance, Strategy, and Operations to drive enterprise performance. Forum Solution’s experience working with executives to assess and optimize their EPL’s is one of several offerings designed to take practical steps towards sustainable performance. Our EPL framework has been applicable for our clients regardless of industry vertical, organization size, or maturity (start-up to F50). If you are interested in management consulting support in assessing and optimizing your EPL, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@forumsolutionsllc.com.

The four-part series, An Integrated Approach for Maximizing Strategy Realization:

The Enterprise Planning Lifecycle includes:

Forum Solutions is a management consulting company dedicated to crafting and delivering transformational outcomes for our clients, our colleagues, and our community. With our help, clients become more agile, resilient, and connected, bringing great ideas to fruition with brilliant results. From start-ups to the Fortune 50, business leaders rely on Forum Solutions to help them form and realize their strategies. Our company is a certified Woman Owned Business that believes in developing and growing our colleagues, company, and region in a socially conscious way.

[1] https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/series/pmo/c-suite-failing-strategiy-lessons

[2] https://hbr.org/1996/11/what-is-strategy

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Part 4: Enterprise Planning Lifecycle Deployment & Final Thoughts

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