Planning before the plan...

Strategic planning is fundamental to the future success of any bank or credit union. Annually, financial institution leaders convene to draft a blueprint for the upcoming year’s initiatives. This gathering often feels like a major accomplishment, but it is only the beginning. The real challenge lies not in the planning but in the execution.

Too often, organizations invest heavily in crafting their strategy but spend far less time constructing their detailed execution plans. Without greater thought put into executing a strategic plan, the initial excitement surrounding the bank or credit union’s future state begins to dissipate, and the teams struggle to maintain momentum amidst day-to-day operations.