Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is an organization’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people.

Strategic planning has been taking up a lot of my time lately. Either through the work place, watching from a far the ongoing struggles of the Obama Administration, or enjoying how institutions of higher education spin through these ever changing times.

My business experience defines strategic planning as the process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization’s goals and capabilities and its changing marketing opportunities. Defining a clear company mission, setting supporting objectives, designing a sound business portfolio, and coordinating functional strategies, long range planning which allows an individual or organization to exercise control over its future and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Without an overall strategy, short-term tactics are often misguided.

Sound familiar, the Obama Administration continues to struggle with a sound approach to high unemployment and economic growth. Higher education continues to struggle with the changing landscape of student funding, state of the art facilities, student services and cost structures. Private business has no clue what will happen next month let alone next year in revenue and cost forecasting.

Many managers talk a good game about strategic planning, but all they are doing is satisfying their preconceived policies that are either out dated or out to lunch. The bottom line in strategic planning is leadership, a rare quality to come by these days.

REPUBLICAN POLITICS: After Wednesday night's feisty duel at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, GOP nomination is a two-man race between Rick Perry and Mitt Romney - Michele Bachmann had no plan for getting back in the conversation. The debate was a brawl: The press filing tent, usually abuzz with reporters kibitzing and wandering, was SILENT for the first time this cycle, with everyone typing furiously. Rick Perry is real - not a bubble. He showed huge vulnerabilities with some answers, but will be a ferocious and durable competitor. If I'm Mitt Romney, I wonder if my team should spend millions, IMMEDIATELY, defining this guy before he can define himself. If I'm Rick Perry, I need to work on my answers on Social Security and climate change, but should give the same answer on executions in every debate. If I'm President Obama, I'd rather run against Rick Perry, but realize that either could take my job.

WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET on President Obama's $450 billion "American Jobs Act": "Cutting the payroll tax in half for 98 percent of businesses ... A complete payroll tax holiday for added workers or increased wages ... A 'Returning Heroes' hiring tax credit for veterans ... Preventing up to 280,000 teacher layoffs, while keeping cops and firefighters on the job ... Modernizing at least 35,000 public schools across the country ... Immediate investments in infrastructure and a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank ... A New 'Project Rebuild,' which will put people to work rehabilitating homes, businesses and communities ... Expanding access to high-speed wireless ... As part of an extension of unemployment insurance to prevent 5 million Americans looking for work from losing their benefits, the President's plan includes innovative work-based reforms to prevent layoffs and give states greater flexibility to use UI funds ... A $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers ... Expand the payroll tax cut passed last year to cut workers payroll taxes in half in 2012 - providing a $1,500 tax cut to the typical American family ... Allowing more Americans to refinance their mortgages at today's near 4 percent interest rates."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Lauren Bacall (87), Maria Bartiromo (44), James Gandolfini (50), George Jones (80), Tommy Lee Jones (65), Melvin Laird (89), Dan Marino (50), Thomas Mueller (22), Bill O’Reilly (62), Tavis Smiley (47), Rachel Ward (54).

NO END TO THE MADNESS – University of Antelope Valley (for-profit college) has created a “Smart Hire” program. They will pay employers ($2,000) who hire their graduates. The deal is only valid for the month of September. Employers must hire the graduates for jobs that relate directly to their field of study. This should get their placement rates up. I wonder how Forbes rates this college?

MELTING - "Arctic ice cover hits historic low: scientists" - "The area covered by Arctic sea ice reached it’s lowest point this week since the start of satellite observations in 1972, German researchers announced on Saturday." Rick Perry please take notice.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/17, a big week 3 inter-conference matchup. #1 Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) visit #5 Florida State Seminoles (2-0). Oklahoma is giving 4 points to FSU, stay with Oklahoma, their defense is too good.
Season to date (1-1).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/17, a big central New York inter-conference matchup; #17 ranked Alfred University Saxons host unranked St. Lawrence University Saints. Alfred has another strong team this year, they should have no problem, 35-14.
Season to date (1-1).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 9/18, San Diego Chargers (1-0) visit the New England Patriots, 4:15 PM ET, CBS. Take the points, take The Pats in this early season test for the Los Angeles bound Chargers.
Season to date (1-0).

DEAR RINK RATS:
I was trying to park my car in a crowded University parking lot. The line of cars trying to get in wrapped around the block, each car in line had to circle around until someone left because no parking spaces were available. When I finally got to drive in, I drove to the only open spot. However, a woman had jumped out of a car that was still on the street and was standing in the spot to save it for her companion. I calmly lowered the window and reminded her that because she did not have a vehicle, she was blocking traffic. She angrily told me that her car was “just around the corner” and threatened to call the cops if we didn’t keep driving. I didn’t raise my voice. I once again calmly asked her to move because she had cut in line. Finally, after she began to go into a tirade (she pointed out she was a member of the Arts & Sciences Department), I gave up and circled for another 10 minutes until another spot opened. Was I out of line for asking her to move? What would you have done in that situation?

UNSURE OF THE RULES, La Verne, California

DEAR UNSURE: You were not out of line in asking the woman to move. She was nervy and wrong to block traffic and take advantage. And if the police had been summoned, they probably would have backed you up (unless she was a blond). What would I have done it that situation? Had I been behind the wheel, two things: one, I would of told her that the Richard Nixon Foundation just endowed her department, and two, I would have very …slowly …continue …parking my car … until she either moved, or I would squashed her like a bug against the wall. This is why I am not an Arts & Sciences faculty member or a blond.

RINK RATS, Claremont, California

Next week, home repair help and the words of the month.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
September 12, 2011

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