The Stick Vega Strategic Plan

I don't have a strategic plan.

I do have a mission.

When I was a vice-president I went through several years of strategic planning.  The first time we hired an expensive consultant to walk us through the process.  Our 5 top management people went to the event at a fancy resort.  Good beer.

We spent most of the first day working on a mission statement.  We debated words like "value" and "service".

Seriously, a full day.  The consultant said, " that was fast".

Seriously?

Day two. We talked about competition, our strengths, our weaknesses.  Our goals.  Our opportunities.  Then over the next days and weeks we generated a whole bunch of plans and programs that were supposed to take us to the next level.

We generated lots of numbers and lots of reports and a plan to keep up with the plans.  Binders full.

But we had a few problems.  The rank and file management did not buy in.  We were swamped with day to day work, we didn't have enough cash.  The planning process added more to everyone's work load.  I was more focused on reporting my plan than finding a new market.  Or, taking care of customers. So most of the good ideas never came to pass.  

We sucked!

The second time we hired an attorney.  Really, an attorney!  And ,we involved all the managers.  Something like 25 people.  Now it took two days to get a mission statement.  And six months later we had a first draft.  We generated hundred of pages of plans! They had names like PLAN 7B.  

What? We need more binders.

I believe we failed at strategic planning.  We eventually went bankrupt.

When we restructured the company and I became owner and CEO I threw out the strategic plan.  I needed two garbage cans. I killed most meetings.  We focused on our customer.  And, on good service.  We tried to be creative.  We talked to each other. We had a simple mission. 

We grew.  Profits increased.  We paid down our debt. We merged with another company.  We grew.  Profits increased.

So I do not have a strategic plan.

I have a simple mission: "The more gunpowder I use the less there is for killing people".

I work hard.  I have lots of ideas. I'm creative.  I have a supportive team at The Blast Factory. I take care of customers.  I talk to people.  I'm sort of organized. I hope it is good enough.

Sometimes I make a one page plan.  (See photo above.)

Then, I blow it up!

Boom!

Stick Vega is the American Gunpowder Artist.  He creates and blogs from The Blast Factory in Madison, WI and Bucktown, Chicago, IL.  Follow Stick at Facebook and/or Twitter.