Written by: Nicole M. Augustine, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Quarterly strategic planning is essential to success in both business and life. As entrepreneurs, we have to stay nimble regarding our professional success. Quarterly strategic planning can help us do just that! It is easy to fall into the trap of waiting for a new year to make big plans for what we want to accomplish. However, the tides of society move so quickly that if we wait a year, we are already behind. More granular planning, such as quarterly objectives and goal setting, allows us to keep up with the rapid changes in society today. It ensures that we stay one step ahead and avoid falling into the trap of waiting for a new year altogether to make plans. By being proactive about our goals, taking advantage of a fresh start every three months allows us to stay focused and accountable! After all, if we wait a year, who knows what kind of opportunities or advancements we could miss out on?
Quarterly strategic planning allows businesses to stay nimble and adapt to changes in the market. Companies can quickly make adjustments and pivot when necessary by setting short-term goals and regularly reviewing progress. This agility is essential for success in today's fast-paced world. Does anyone remember life before the pandemic of 2020? There are ways our society has changed and adapted that are here to stay. Quarterly strategic planning can be an effective way to ensure your business stays on track and adapts to evolving circumstances promptly. Here are some tips on how to create a quarterly strategic plan and the organizational resources needed to support this shift:
Define your goals and objectives: Before creating your quarterly plan, you need a clear understanding of what you want to achieve over the next three months. This includes setting specific, measurable goals and objectives that align with your long-term strategy.
Conduct a SWOT analysis: A SWOT analysis will help you identify your organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This will help you determine where to focus your efforts and resources over the next three months.
Prioritize your initiatives: Once you have identified your goals and completed a SWOT analysis, prioritize the initiatives that will help you achieve your goals. This will help you focus your resources and ensure that you are making progress toward your most important objectives.
Assign responsibilities and deadlines: Make sure that each initiative has a clear owner responsible for ensuring that it is completed on time and within budget. Set specific deadlines for each task to ensure everyone works towards the same timeline.
Hold regular meetings: To ensure that your quarterly strategic plan stays on track, you should hold regular meetings to review progress and make necessary adjustments. Quarterly meetings are an excellent frequency to ensure the plan is implemented and progress is made.
Track progress: It's essential to track your progress against your goals and objectives. This will help you identify any areas where you are falling behind and allow you to adjust your plan as needed.
Invest in the right tools: To support your quarterly strategic planning process, you may need tools that help you track progress, assign responsibilities, and collaborate effectively. Software tools like Asana, Trello, and Monday.com can help manage tasks and track progress.
The importance of quarterly strategic planning extends beyond the business world. In our personal lives, getting stuck in a rut and losing sight of our goals is easy. Waiting for the new year to make resolutions can be a recipe for failure. It is easy to make plans and then forget about them. By setting quarterly goals and regularly reviewing progress, we can make steady progress toward our long-term objectives. The regular review process that is a part of quarterly strategic planning is also essential for accountability. By setting frequent checkpoints and reviewing progress toward our goals, we are held accountable for our actions. This helps to keep us focused and motivated, even when the going gets tough.
Annual resolutions are often quickly forgotten within the first quarter of the year! Setting and tracking goals each quarter can give us a much better chance of achieving our long-term objectives, both personally and professionally. Quarterly strategic planning is a potent tool that deserves to be leveraged regardless of industry or profession; take some time to make those plans today – your future self will thank you for it!
Nicole M. Augustine, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Nicole M. Augustine is a social entrepreneur, public health professional, and social justice advocate. She was born in Inglewood, CA, in the early 80s during the decade in America known for the "crack epidemic ." This was her first experience with social injustice, racial inequality, and the roots of trauma that plague many people. Her tale is one of resilience and opportunity, as her grandmother relocated the family to moved Edmond, OK, in the early 90s. After experiencing the stark contrast of both living environments, she became intrigued by the core reasons for differences in community outcomes. Nicole found herself studying sociology and public health and was drawn to understanding the root causes of health disparities. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Cornell University and her Master of Public Health from The George Washington University School of Public Health. Throughout her career in public health, she has focused her work on understanding health disparities and social inequality. Her personal life mission is to drive community and societal change while creating generational shifts in community wellness outcomes.
