Strategy Workshops

Strategy workshops bring together leaders, subject matter experts, and representatives from business functions to explore and prioritise opportunities for future development.

Whether strategy workshops take place onsite, offsite, or online, they should be psychologically safe spaces so that all participants can feel free to contribute their insight, knowledge, and creativity regardless of their position within your organisation.

It often pays dividends to bring in an external facilitator to manage your workshop with you to encourage active participation, promote idea generation, and keep discussions, on topic, on track, and on time.

7 Steps to Successful Strategy Workshops

1.  Define your workshop objectives

Be clear on the desired outcomes from your meeting and set your workshop parameters (location, agenda, process, and attendees) to deliver these.

2.  Identify the right number and mix of participants

Workshops are participatory in nature so make sure that you invite collaborative attendees who reflect a range of perspectives but keep numbers manageable to ensure everyone can have their say.

3.  Prepare participants in advance

Time is at a premium once the strategy workshop has kicked off, so it makes sense to fully brief participants well in advance, so they know what is expected of them. Where necessary, circulate strategy frameworks, pre-reading, and data beforehand.

4.  Appoint workshop facilitators

Strategy workshops are intense. To get the most of them you need help to manage timekeeping, coordinate break-out sessions, and document outputs and actions.

5.  Set the ground-rules

Think people as well as processes. Be clear on what behaviours you encourage (e.g. open discussions) and what is not acceptable (e.g. leaving the session to attend to other business). Above all, ensure there are ample breaks, free-flowing refreshments, and energisers.

6.  Communicate the outputs

Share the outcomes from the strategy workshop with the attendees themselves and more widely across your business.

7.  Follow-up after the workshop

Ideas are great but putting them into action is what really matters.

Therefore, you must ensure that workshop attendees follow through on their commitments. In addition, do share successes as they materialise as this is highly motivational.

How I Can Help With Your Strategy Workshop

I have a wealth of experience both as a strategy workshop participant and facilitator.

In my time, I’ve learned what works and what does not.

As a result, I can help you to avoid the pitfalls of preparing, managing and following-up on strategy sessions.

Importantly, I am flexible in my approach. Also, I’m well-versed in the most commonly used tools and techniques.

If you require organisational support to ensure that your event runs smoothly, I can provide this.

On the other hand, I am also happy to take a more active role in your workshop. For example, by helping participants to use your strategic frameworks. Or by challenging assumptions and encouraging more strategic thinking.

Are you planning a strategy workshop?

Want to discuss how I could help you?

Simply book a call.