High Impact Tools and Activities for Strategic Planning: Creative Techniques for Facilitating Your Organization's Planning Process

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Summary: Easy to read,interesting ideas,people love these activities
Review: I really like this book. It shows how to get people to collaborate and be productive. I was involved in an interesting meeting over a month ago, and when I asked the facilitator where she got the ideas for the meeting she told me about this book. I have used it several times and the ideas work. I have shared the book with my husband who is a manager responsible for 350 employees. He has used some of these planning activities in his staff meetings and they have produced great results. We are two satisfied customers.

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Summary: I used these ideas for our retreat and the ideas work!
Review: I recently facillitated our organizational retreat and the ideas in this book were very helpful. We have a retreat 2x a year and they aren't very good. This year I was committed to making it a success and this book was great in giving me a lot of ideas and helping us plan for the future. People were excited by the ideas we generated and believe we are going to be sucessful.

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Summary: I saw one of the authors at a planning meeting and......
Review: I was motivated to get this book. The ideas are MAGIC!! I saw how to make planning fun , interesting and practical. Now I can do the same. One of the best books I have seen on the subject.

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Summary: Intelligent and Interesting
Review: If you have ever been involved in a strategic planning effort that fell short of expectations then this book is for you. In plain language the authors lay out a planning framework with supporting involvement practices to gain organizational buy-in. They provide explanations and case study examples to show the connections between "what needs to be done and how to do it." A chapter titled "The Toolbox" covers the rational and procedures for involvement mechanisms that include "Nominal Group Process to generate ideas, Affinity Diagrams & Mindmaping to organize complex issues and Collapsing Consensus & Las Vegas Voting to help in problem solving & decision-making." There are valuable discussions on organizing the planning effort and post-planning followup / accountability. This volume supports any organizational effort to set goals, improve quality or enhance effectiveness in resource management through collaborative processes.

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Summary: Planning First - Learning Always
Review: If you have ever been involved in a strategic planning effort that fell short of expectations then this book is for you. In plain language the authors lay out a planning framework with supporting involvement practices to gain organizational buy-in. They provide explanations and case study examples to show the connections between "what needs to be done and how to do it." A chapter titled "The Toolbox" covers the rational and procedures for involvement mechanisms that include "Nominal Group Process to generate ideas, Affinity Diagrams & Mindmaping to organize complex issues and Collapsing Consensus & Las Vegas Voting to help in problem solving & decision-making." There are valuable discussions on organizing the planning effort and post-planning followup / accountability. This volume supports any organizational effort to set goals, improve quality or enhance effectiveness in resource management through collaborative processes.

Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and Interesting
Review: impressive, interesting and different ideas .I like the down to earth , inclusive quality of this book. Thing are explained well and frameworks are provided, so that you can conduct these activities with confidence.I highly recommend it.

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Summary: A comprehensive theoretical and practical guide
Review: Our experience shows that effective collaboration, systems thinking, stakeholder involvement, process design, and leadership are the critical success factors for strategic change. This book provides frameworks, activities, tips and tools to develop the shared ideas and committment necessary for immediate and lasting change.

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Summary: A practical and useful guide for managers and consultants!
Review: Strategic planning is still a critical process for most organizations. If done properly, it identifies and determines how to manipulate the key variables that will drive organizational success and mobilizes the financial and human capital to make it happen. This book presents the the technology to develop a winning strategic plan. It contains a plethora of field tested practical designs for clarifying values, generating information and knowledge, setting goals and determining strategies, building commitment, and adapting to change. The pitfalls of strategic planning are clearly elucidated and practical advice is provided on how to avoid them. This is a thought-provoking and practical guide for managers, consultants, facilitators, and strategic planners -- a good investment in your organization's future.

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Summary: Practical & collaborative activities that produce results
Review: The key to effective planning is to meaningfully involve your organization's stakeholders in creating a shared picture of the future.This book shows you how to solve problems, build commitment and community. The activities described have been used successfuly in hundreds of organizations. We provide a balanced approach to planning that taps the resources in an organization and most importantly, creates the commitment to produce results.

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Summary: Very good resource
Review: This book came recommended to me by another colleague. Interesting ideas throughout. .Participants feel that their voice is being heard and that something meaningful is being accomplished. I use the ideas often.