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A Strategic Management Model that Works   

By Majlinda Priku  
                           
Majlinda Priku, EzineArticles.com Platinum Author

Applying a strategic management model to your project does not mean that you are going to change your project-plans or the framework and tools you are currently using to implement  it.  

A strategic planning model is more about  a different approach to the project. It's about stepping back from the execution-mode in order to examine and evaluate it from a different angle. 

In the traditional project cycle the monitoring and evaluation was done towards the end of the project. This model changes that by considering on-going monitoring and frequent evaluation as vital parts of the implementation stage for a successful project. It's important to recognize what is working and what needs to be changed on time. As a manager you need to become strategic and view your project from different lenses. If you focus only the execution part and the day-to-day tasks, how do you know that  the selected project tools are working effectively?  How do you measure the quality of what you are doing? What are your indicators? 

In order to create a strategic management model that will support the current implementation and the long-term impact of the project start with the following questions:

-  What is the purpose of the project?

- How do all the activities we are implementing relate to its purpose?

- Are we sticking to the project plan? 

- What have evolved or changed from when we started? Why?

- How it would it look like in 3 years? What would be the impact?

- How do we measure impact? What qualitative and quantitative indicators exist to back-up our success?

- Who benefits from our project? Are they winners and are they losers? Why?


A strategic management model in seven steps:



1. Analyze the overall goal and the purpose of the project.

2. Asses the objectives, activities and values of the project.

3. Assess current strengths, successes and achievements. Consider quantitative and qualitative results.

4. Analyze what contributed to them (consider internal/external resources and capabilities).

5. Asses challenges and gaps. Analyze what contributed to each.

6. Adjust your current project plan in order to reflect best practices and a strategy to fill gaps.

7. Develop a generative vision. What  is it about this project that inspired and will inspire to implement? How would success look like?

This strategic management model will help you manage and lead at the same time.

Considerations:

Visualise the process of using this strategic management model.

Visual models allow us to see the big picture

Visual models and frameworks are a right brain activity, just like leadership.

Embrace them!



Related Articles:

Basic Management Skills

Employee Empowerment

Management vs Leadership

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Management Terms

Decentralization -
pushing power and decision making downward.

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