Online Class: Strategic Planning

This insightful course is a complete guide for developing, writing and implementing a strategic plan for your organization to ensure short and long-term growth and prosperity.

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14

Lessons
16

Exams &
Assignments
643

Students
have taken this course
8

Hours
average time
0.8

CEUs

Course Description

Empowering Organizations: The Blueprint for Future Success

In the fast-paced world of business, it's imperative to think ahead. But how can an organization ensure its relevance, leadership, and innovation 20 years down the line? Enter the world of strategic planning - an essential tool for visionary leaders, committed to long-term success. Our course, "Blueprint for Future Success," is tailored to equip leaders with the skills and insights required to chart a course for sustained organizational excellence.

Strategic planning isn't just about setting goals; it's about envisioning the future, understanding the present, and building a bridge between the two. While business plans and long-term plans have their place, strategic planning is the compass that guides a business through uncertain waters, ensuring it remains true to its core values, mission, and vision.

Through this comprehensive course, participants will gain:

Clarity and Focus: Understand the nuances and distinctions between various planning models - from business plans to long-term planning, and pinpoint the unique value that strategic planning brings to the table.
Foundation Building: Learn the significance of mandates, both formal and informal, and craft compelling mission and vision statements that resonate and align with your organization's ethos. Dive deep into the role of values, and explore their transformative impact on decision-making and organizational culture.
Strength and Vulnerability Analysis: Engage with diagnostic tools and frameworks to truly dissect your organization's strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, discover how perceived weaknesses might be leveraged as unique strengths or differentiators.
Risk Management: In the business realm, risks are unavoidable. This course empowers leaders to evaluate, prioritize, and mitigate these risks, turning potential pitfalls into opportunities for growth.
Resource Optimization: From human capital to financial assets, understand how to allocate and prioritize resources effectively to align with your strategic vision.
Constructing the Blueprint: Dive into the structural elements of a strategic plan. Understand the significance and role of each segment, and gain hands-on experience in crafting a robust, actionable, and comprehensive strategic plan.
Engagement and Communication: A strategic plan is only as effective as its execution. Unravel the secrets of ensuring organizational buy-in, fostering a sense of ownership among stakeholders, and effective communication strategies to keep everyone on the same page.
Future-Proofing: The business landscape is ever-evolving. Acquire the tools and methodologies to keep your strategic plan dynamic, updated, and relevant, ensuring your organization is always one step ahead.

In conclusion, "Blueprint for Future Success" is not just another course; it's an investment in the future of your organization. Designed for forward-thinking leaders, this course offers a holistic and in-depth exploration of strategic planning, ensuring that your organization doesn't just survive but thrives in the decades to come. Join us in this transformative journey and carve a path to unparalleled success.

Courses Frequently Bought Together:

Critical Thinking Skills

Creative Thinking Skills

Emotional Intelligence

Completely Online
Self-Paced
Printable Lessons
Full HD Video
6 Months to Complete
24/7 Availability
Start Anytime
PC & Mac Compatible
Android & iOS Friendly
Accredited CEUs

Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider

Course Lessons

Average Lesson Rating:

"Extraordinarily Helpful"

(414 votes)

Lesson 1: Introduction to Strategic Planning. What Is It? What Are the Benefits?

Strategic planning is more than a blueprint to help an organization reach its desired goals. It's an action plan to guide the organization into the future. Additional lesson topics: HBR's Several Must Reads on Strategy including featured article “What Is Strategy?” by Michael E. Porter ; Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement 11 Total Points

Lesson 1 Video
Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Assessment: Exam 1

Lesson 2: Analyzing the State of Your Organization

By looking at your organization, you can identify holes in your assets and abilities, and you will know what you can and cannot do with current assets. Additional lesson topics: Managing Safety and Health 10 Total Points

Lesson 2 Video
Assessment: Exam 2

Lesson 3: Clarifying Organization Mandates and Mission

In this lesson, you will be looking at an organization's mandates and its mission or mission statement. Typically, one is overlooked in strategic planning and without the other, you do not have a strategic plan. Additional lesson topics: What's your mandate?; Business Strategy 5: Step Several Identify Organizational Mandates 10 Total Points

Lesson 3 Video
Assessment: Exam 3

Lesson 4: Assessing the Environment and Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

This lesson outlines areas in a strategic plan that trip up many organizations. If the assessments are not researched properly and people are not honest in their appraisals, the whole strategic plan could lead to the organizations failure. Additional lesson topics: Analyzing Your Business's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats; Internal and External Analysis 10 Total Points

Lesson 4 Video
Assessment: Exam 4

Lesson 5: Collecting and Analyzing the Data, and What Are the Issues?

Being able to talk frankly and freely allows all the data to be thoroughly analyzed, verified, and qualified, as pertinent data for the strategic plan. Additional lesson topics: Three keys to building a data-driven strategy; Balanced Scorecard Basics 10 Total Points

Lesson 5 Video
Assessment: Exam 5

Lesson 6: Stating the Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission statements should be informational for the leaders, employees, and the customers. The statement should concisely talk about the organization's direction, the reason for its existence, and its ideals. Additional lesson topics: Answer Several Questions to Get a Great Mission Statement; How to Write a Mission Statement with examples 10 Total Points

Lesson 6 Video
Assessment: Exam 6

Lesson 7: Formulate and Plan Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes

For the strategic plan to be successful, a continuous monitoring and evaluation of the plan must take place to ensure success. 10 Total Points

Lesson 7 Video
Assessment: Exam 7

Lesson 8: Prioritizing Needs and Identifying Risks

Without ownership by everyone involved in the organization, the strategic plan will not be utilized to its fullest potential, which will be detrimental to the organization. Additional lesson topics: Risk Impact/Probability Chart; Risk and Safety Management 9 Total Points

Lesson 8 Video
Assessment: Exam 8

Lesson 9: Designing and Validating Tactics

The best place organizers should look for tactics needed in the strategic plan is in the initial strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and outside competition or threats listings outlined during the investigation. Additional lesson topics: Validation: How to Get Strategy Right; Several Strategies to Validate Your Product Ideas 10 Total Points

Lesson 9 Video
Assessment: Exam 9

Lesson 10: Prioritizing Tactics and Resources

For the organization's strategic plan to be a success, there are three critical elements that must be fully vetted--tactics, tools or resources, and a commitment to the plans goals. Additional lesson topics: TACTICS, TOOLS and STRATEGIES? 10 Total Points

Lesson 10 Video
Assessment: Exam 10

Lesson 11: Outlining and Designing the Plan Including Budgets

This lesson will help you better understand what goes into the strategic plan by creating its outline. This lesson also will offer brief explanations of what is included under each heading. Additional lesson topics: Examples of Effective Budget Strategies; Strategic Plan Template: What to Include In Yours 10 Total Points

Lesson 11 Video
Assessment: Exam 11

Lesson 12: Process Design and Action Guidelines

Throughout the course, there have been hints as to why a strategic plan is necessary. The main reason given is that the organization now will begin the process to thrive in the future as an industry leader. Additional lesson topics: Developing a strategy as a basis for new product and process development ; Sample Strategic Plans 10 Total Points

Lesson 12 Video
Assessment: Exam 12

Lesson 13: Documenting and Communicating the Plan

A communication plan is needed to coordinate all the team's efforts and to keep all the information they receive organized. Additional lesson topics: Communicating Your Strategy 10 Total Points

Lesson 13 Video
Assessment: Exam 13

Lesson 14: Updating and Revising the Plan

The strategic plan does not move an organization into the future if its not being utilized, updated, or revised when needed. 80 Total Points

Lesson 14 Video
Lesson discussions: What do you think about this course?; Course Comments; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Assessment: Exam 14
Assessment: The Final Exam

210

Total Course Points

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

Define and describe strategic planning.
Summarize the process of analyzing the state of your organization.
Clarify your organization mandates and mission.
Assess the environment and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Collect and analyzing the data - what are the issues.
Summarize the mission, vision, and values.
Formulate and plan immediate and long-term outcomes.
Summarize and prioritize your needs and identify risks.
Summarize howto prioritize tactics and resources.
Describe processes for outlining, designing plan, including budgets.
Define action guidelines.
Document and communicate the plan.
Update and revise the plan.
Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.

Additional Course Information

Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online

View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

Course Title: Strategic Planning

Course Number: 8900334

Lessons Rating: 4.4 / 5 Stars (414 votes)

Languages: English - United States, Canada and other English speaking countries

Availability: This course is online and available in all 50 states including: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and Washington.

Last Updated: March 2024

Course Type: Self-Paced, Online Class

CEU Value: 0.8 IACET CEUs (Continuing Education Units)

CE Accreditation: Universal Class, Inc. has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Grading Policy: Earn a final grade of 70% or higher to receive an online/downloadable CEU Certification documenting CEUs earned.

Assessment Method: Lesson assignments and review exams

Instructor: Linda Zavadil

Syllabus: View Syllabus

Course Fee: $120.00 U.S. dollars

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Student Testimonials

"I think it is beneficial to me as a future entrepreneur." -- Betty B.
"This course was much harder than expected. I enjoyed learning and will use the skills learned." -- Lisa S.
"Thank you for your time and lessons." -- Kimberly D.