One of our CIO clients reflects on his experience in developing a strategic plan with the help of Gagnon Associates — the significant differences with “simple” business planning, and, most importantly, the increased level of employee acceptance and executive alignment that results: 

As CIO of S&S Worldwide,  I write to say that the process you led us through last year was a valuable, well thought out Strategic Planning Process that resulted in the entire senior leadership team coming together to build a strong foundation for the Company to aggressively move forward in the future.

Gagnon Associates’ process for developing a strategic plan is well documented and thought out and provides the structure that a company needs in order to separate it from a more simple, year-to-year, business planning exercise.

Creating the Company’s Core Values, Mission, and Vision along with the corresponding Goals, Strategies and Tactics provided our Company with the “Play Book” which, after one year, every Associate now understands and embraces. For once, everyone in the organization is on the same page, from the executive level to the hourly Associate.

The facilitation support you provided was also excellent, with honed skills in listening, paraphrasing, and time management.  And the facilitator worked very hard to help us reach group consensus and move the sessions along with just the right amount of thought and deliberation.

One of the strengths of the Plan are all the quantifiable targets and goals that were identified during the Planning Process.  Exactly how well we do in achieving those, time will tell.  But for now, we thank you so much for your time and effort in helping us develop a Strategic Plan that the entire senior staff is proud of.  You did a great job, and please feel free to use me as a future reference.  That says it all; thanks again.