OCD Download PDFA good strategic plan will empower you to deal with the risks and uncertainties inherent in your business. A proactive/pre-emptive move in anticipation of change is usually more rewarding than a reactive response. An achievement thinker looks at problems from the offensive side of the ball and differentiates those things he can control from those he cannot. A strategic plan will prepare you to deal with change. Preparing a strategic plan will cause you to set goals. Top performing organizations typically have clearly defined and universally shared objectives and expectations. The success of the Apollo Space Program is often credited to the fact that the mission of the project was so clearly defined; “Send a man to the moon and return him to Earth safely.”

Eight Steps to Successful Planning.
Strategic planning for a business is all about the creation, preservation, and conveyance of value. The purpose of this guide is to help you build a successful plan in eight simple steps.

• One: Determine which phase of the value cycle you and your business are in.
• Two: Formulate and articulate your short and long-term goals.
• Three: Determine the drivers of value for your business and separate those you can influence from those you cannot.
• Four: Ask yourself, can my employees and I execute my plan?
• Five: Assess your dealership's long-term economic viability.
• Six: Consider your long-term exit options.
• Seven: Have an efficient tax plan in place.
• Eight: Build a planning team.