Implementing strategic plans

You have reached the stage in this process where the proverbial rubber hits the hypothetical road. You are now in the implementation phase of strategic planning, when you begin to put all the innovative ideas generated by your teams into practice.

Your plan is more likely to become a successful driver of positive change and to play your own role in achieving Penn State’s overall strategic direction with an effective implementation blueprint. To aid in this effort, OPAIR is providing this step-by-step guide to strategic plan implementation. We hope you will find some useful information in the pages that follow to help you work your way through your plan and achieve the results you desire.

According to Miller (1997), there are three major components to successful implementation of a strategic plan: (1) completion of everything intended to be implemented within the expected time; (2) achievement of the performance intended; and (3) acceptability of the method of implementation and outcomes within the organization.

Considering Miller’s components, there is an overlap between her first pair of points. While we certainly encourage you to strive for the KPIs and metrics you have outlined in your own plans, we are also cognizant that your plan is a living document, allowing you to be simultaneously realistic and aspirational. Circumstances change rapidly–as the COVID-19 crisis made abundantly clear–and we want you to consider necessary flexibility in your implementation efforts.

In addition to helping you chart your organization’s course over the next half decade, the implementation process is a wonderful opportunity for learning. In your planning process, you identified Goals, Objectives, and Strategies to lead towards positive change. Implementation allows you not only to test, refine, and learn from these aims, but also to gain a deeper understanding of how your whole team works. Successful implementation will build your organization’s sense of place in an interconnected Penn State, highlighting the importance of the work you do and the accomplishments you achieve. Furthermore, it will offer potential partnerships across departments, colleges, campuses, and the Commonwealth as a whole.

Note: Miller, S. (1997). Implementing strategic decisions: Four key success factors. Organization studies, 18(4), 577-602.