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Strategic direction
We work UK-wide with all types and sizes of organisations across a broad range of industry sectors. We help firms to review, express and pursue their strategy and plans. We provide business consultancy, advice, training, hands-on coaching and mentoring to you and your team. |
Planning in a state of flux
Heraclitus flourished in Greece about 500 BC. His principal doctrine was that everything is in a state of flux: 'this world, which is the same for all, no one of gods or men made; but it was ever, is now, and ever shall be an ever-living fire'. No change there then! But if we are to get out of the ever-living fire, we had better plan for it.
It's all Greek to me?
It was the philosophers of ancient Greece who noted that civilised society is distinguished from that of the savage mainly by prudence, or to use a slightly wider term - forethought. The Greeks were also the first to develop writing as we know it today. Here we are in the 21st century and many of us still haven't tried this Greek combination of forethought and writing on our businesses!
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Business Planning in the UK
It is a shocking statistic that only around 1 in 10 UK companies have a business plan. Most of these are no more than spreadsheet projections which the company accountant (with all due respect to accountants) has helped put together. It is not surprising, in this environment, that a major weakness shown by companies is their performance in achieving managed strategic development.
Why Plan?
Many companies ask themselves the question 'Why Plan?'. Especially in today's fast moving business environment when the plan is sure to be out of date before it is completed. There's one thing you can be sure of: if you don't know your destination and have no plan for your journey, you'll arrive somewhere else.
Why plan? is the question we first ask our clients when embarking on a Business Planning workshop; the introduction to the plan should capture this. One client company expressed it thus: 'The purpose of this plan is to focus the various initiatives and developments planned for the company. It ensures a steady development programme for the company's directors and managers. This working document will serve as a map for the management team, to steer us through milestones and measures to achieve our business and personal development objectives'.
Prudence v passion is a conflict that runs through history. The trick is to gain the benefits of forethought (or prudence) without losing the passion that drives today's successful business.
Our role
We have found that companies going through a business planning process benefit greatly from a structured approach, an open forum away from the workplace and external facilitation from one of our professional advisors/coaches. We look forward to helping you think about the business! |
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