Developing Strategic Business Planning Skills

In Developing Strategic Business Planning Skills , you'll learn ...

• Steps needed to evolve into a strategic planner who looks beyond daily tasks to shape the future of your organization
• The human dynamics, organizational culture, and the practical steps needed to implement lasting change
• How to analyze your impression on others, manage their emotions, and recognize "moments of truth"—instances that shape how internal and external stakeholders perceive the organization
• How to become a key contributor at the executive planning table by fostering strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and performance-driven leadership

Overview

Preview a portion of this course before purchasing it.

Credit: 7 PDH

Length: 86 pages

"Engineer/PMP to Strategic Planner" - WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Is this just some way to rename the same old job to make it sound more important?

No, it is something much different. Strategic business management planning encompasses issues that fall OUTSIDE of the traditional engineering or project management function and directly relate to the business of the organization such as:

In this course, you will learn how to successfully negotiate:

• Business-related topics such as finance, marketing, employee relations, and information technology
• Topics related to the general business environment:
• Industry practices and developments, technological developments, economic environment, and labor pool/demographic trends
• Organization strategic planning, organizational budgeting, corporate social responsibility, corporate governance/ethics and due diligence for mergers and acquisitions
• Aligning human capital activities with the business plan such as:
• Developing metrics to measure Human Resource's contributions
• Integrating technology into Human Resource applications
• Leadership development systems tied to organizational goals

The short explanation is a strategic planner plans for tomorrow while everyone else is dealing with today.

This course is designed to guide engineering and project management professionals into the world of strategic planning, equipping them to transition from technical roles to high-level organizational contributors. Structured as a practical and introspective journey, the course helps participants evolve into strategic planners—professionals who look beyond daily tasks to shape the future of their organizations.

The course emphasizes that strategic planning is not just about business theory; it involves understanding human dynamics, organizational culture, and the practical steps needed to implement lasting change. Beginning with self-assessment, learners are encouraged to examine their behaviors, perceptions, and relationships to develop the personal credibility required to lead change effectively. Topics such as reliability, accessibility, and alliance-building are explored as key traits of successful planners.

Participants learn to analyze their impression on others, manage their emotions, and recognize "moments of truth"—instances that shape how internal and external stakeholders perceive the organization. A significant portion is devoted to understanding and applying performance metrics, both “hard” (quantifiable) and “soft” (behavioral), with practical guidance on designing feedback loops, conducting performance reviews, and aligning employee development with strategic goals.

In addition, the course covers power and influence in organizational settings, offering insight into how personal and positional power can be used to lead change. Learners are taught to develop mentorship relationships, foster cooperation, and design actionable strategic plans. Real-world examples, forms, and thought exercises reinforce learning and encourage practical application.

Ultimately, the course positions the learner to become a key contributor at the executive planning table by fostering strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and performance-driven leadership. It equips professionals not just to plan effectively, but to inspire and guide others in navigating change.

This course includes many Human Resource issues because of one very important fact that many strategic planning initiatives overlook: acquisition, maintenance, and development of a productive workforce is the greatest expense of any business. If you want to become an effective strategic planner for your organization, it is critical that you have a thorough understanding of the vital role played by your Human Resources group.

This do-it-yourself (DIY) manual will help a self-directed professional who wants to evolve from the day-to-day issues to eventually becoming a contributing participant at "The Table" helping the executive team's plan for the future become a reality.

Ultimately, the course positions the learner to become a key contributor at the executive planning table by fostering strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and performance-driven leadership. It equips professionals not just to plan effectively, but to inspire and guide others in navigating change.

Your journey to the Table using this manual will follow this path:

• Looking inward and helping you prepare for the long journey ahead (you did not think this would be accomplished in an afternoon, did you?)
• Looking outward at the organization and viewing its long-range plans through the lens of the short range reality you will be facing from an HR perspective

We introduce you to some critical topics that you will encounter along the way. We will lead you far enough into them so you will be able to understand and discuss their basic concepts with the wide range of professionals, consultants, and vendors you will encounter in your new role.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the seven personal elements of success.
• Analyze your current role to determine the elements important to your success as a strategic planner.
• Describe the activities and organizational perspective of a strategic planner.
• Develop a plan for building alliances with others.
• Examine your behaviors to identify qualifiers that may restrict your career development.
• Analyze your daily performance to distinguish productive activity from mere busyness.
• Distinguish between work stress and work tension within a workforce.
• Determine whether you connect authentically with others.
• Assess the extent of your orientation toward reality.
• Analyze your ability to embrace, engage with, and address negative circumstances.
• Examine your daily behavior to identify the potential for self-inflicted setbacks.
• Assess the impression you may make on others.
• Identify the basic elements that encourage people to enjoy working with you and prioritize those behaviors to support successful interactions.
• Explain the value of managing your reaction to an event when you cannot control the event itself.
• Describe the value of maintaining a sense of proportion when facing disappointment so that strategic plans are not harmed.
• Apply a proven method for helping people adapt to organizational change.
• Interpret the Cheshire Cat’s lesson in the context of organizational strategic planning.
• Explain the value of "losing smartly."
• Express desired goals using the critical trio of performance elements.
• Design workflow feedback loops and explain their value.
• Analyze typical project work processes to identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Explain the value of developing a mentoring relationship.
• Identify the various types and sources of power within an organization.
• Formulate planning expectations in terms that support productive outcomes.
• Design a "hard" and "soft" skills performance scale to measure employee performance within a strategic plan.
• Develop an overall employee performance assessment instrument to gauge progress within a strategic plan.
• Design an overall performance measurement process for organizational implementation.
• Develop a strategic action plan for individuals.
• Plan and conduct effective goal-setting meetings.

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 40 questions. PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.