4 Responses

1. it depends on what you have got in the middle….

   Hi Carrol

   Presuming that "strat" is short for strategy. 

   And presuming that you have carried out a planning session to allocate time scales and responsibilities to put the strategies identified into place, then really all you want is a short, high energy and upbeat ending to the day.  How many people will be present? If there will be between 8 and 25* then ‘The Chain Gang’ is a fantastic way to end the day and it has some real learning points too.  It requires no equipment or tools, just space and people’s involvement for about 15 minutes.  It has never failed for me and I’ve used it hundreds of times.

   I don’t have it written up but if you’d like to give me a call I’ll talk you through it in 10 minutes tops.

   Rus Slater

   01252 616346

   07812 170391

    

   *if you have over 25 it can be done as a "competition" with teams trying to achieve faster than each other

2. Closing activity

   At the end of a strategic planning session, it can be really helpful to have people thinking, individually, about the commitment that they can make to achieve the strategy. Addressing the question, "What can I offer to do that will be a real demonstration of my willingness to make this happen?" brings the ‘abstract planning’ into sharp focus.

   One of the things I have done is to make a visual display with a number of faces equal to the number of participants. This can be in many different forms: a ‘patchwork quilt’ effect of coloured paper, a mobile display with a hanging shape for each person, a 3D sculpture with various blank faces….

   At the end of the session, each individual writes and signs (or handprints, if you don’t mind a bit of mess!) their own statement of intention. The finished display is viewed by everyone, photographed or videoed, and shared with all the participants a few days after the event as a reminder of the responsibility each individual has for successful implementation.

    

    

    

3. Strategic Planning Session – Closing Activity

   Hi all .. thanks for the great responses; much appreciated – you have certainly given me some food for thought.    It is definitely desirable to end the session with a high-energy activity so that everyone feels good about what we have accomplished over the weekend, as well as optimistic about the way forward.

   By the way, I’m over in sunny South Africa, so easier to make contact via e-mail than telephonically.  🙂

   Carrol

4. Strategy Closing

    Hi, I found this see link and thought there were some good ideas that could be utilised or adapted

   http://www.hjwythe.com/_resources/Facilitation_Fundamentals_Closing%20a%20Facilitation%20on%20a%20Positive%20Note2.pdf

   Alternatively I have use the Elevator Pitch exercise; get the team to work on a collective communication re-enforces key points and give a you something tangible to share with the rest of the department; you can adapt the exercise below. 

   Elevator pitch

   An "elevator pitch" is a quick and concise way to communicate who you are, what you are setting out to do, why it will make things better for the Company or the Customer.

   These pitches are important because they help people understand your project in a way that gets them excited, involved, and thinking. Being brief gets the best results.

    

   7 points to consider

    

   1. Assume short buildings!

   Because most elevator rides (in Europe anyway!) last 60 seconds or less, keep your pitch to less than a minute.  You must think hard about the essentials of your message and ruthlessly cut away the unnecessary details.

    

   2. Solve a problem

   Right from the start, launch into an explanation of the need or problem you plan to meet … the problem you will solve.  Because if you aren’t solving a problem or filling a need, you’re going to find it hard to get support!

    

   3. Turn a problem into an opportunity

   Every problem offers the opportunity for a solution. Once you’ve presented the problem, lay out your solution. Reduce it down to one or two sentences that explain the unique elements of your approach.

    

   4. Lay out the benefits

   Remember this subtle distinction: You’re not pitching your specific project details … at least not in an elevator!  You are pitching what your idea or your project will do for the Company or for Customers.  This is the time to lay out HOW your project will benefit people and the business.

    

   5. Conclude with a call to action

   Always end your pitch with a call to action. Know what they can do to help you make your project a reality and ask for it.  It could be sponsorship, advice, resources, an introduction, pressure to make something happen, etc.

    

   6. Make it real and practical

   Throughout your pitch, talk in practical terms, not in abstract concepts. Frame the problem, your unique solution, and the benefits your project will bring. Keeping it real means not using jargon and insider speak.

   "Using the 20-48 Diffie-Helman key exchange of 160-bit Triple DES software flange…" You get the idea.  A better approach …  "We make phone services much easier to understand and use."

    

   7. Show your passion

   "A good pitch changes the pulse rate," When people look at a project, they look at all kinds of normal kinds of things — the numbers, the timeframe, the resources — but they also look for fire in the belly, a passion to succeed at something that hasn’t been done before. 

    

   If you can’t get them excited about your plan, you’re wasting your time.  You have to change their pulse rate.

   I can be contated on 07876 145 824

   Thanks John Newell – let me know if this was useful