SCENARIO PLANNING

As an alternative, instead of looking at overall strategy, a workshop can also focus on how a specific business issue or challenge might evolve. For example, you can use a scenario generation approach to map out different market environments in which a new product will be launched, and visualize different competitive reactions it may trigger. In this case, the goal is to generate an array of potential futures so you can develop a launch plan that is as flexible as possible and as resilient in the face of competition as it can be.

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Another productive use of scenario planning is as a team building exercise. A group of executives spends some real "quality time" together discussing, exploring, arguing and ultimately agreeing on the possible directions the future may take. Based on these insights, we then generate a portfolio of realistic scenarios together, and the group hones its creative skills further by crafting a profile of each of the futures they postulate.

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Scenario planning is exciting!

Do the participants in such an exercise

need to be the executives charged with

developing the organization's strategy?

 

No, not necessarily. In team building

mode, the exercise aims to get the group

thinking strategically together, riffing off

each others' ideas, and using imagination,

creativity and a solid understanding of their

organization's capabilities and mission to

jointly visualize the future(s) that may be out

there - and which they may be confronted

with in their careers and maturity phases.

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This process helps you see the way forward!

 

Your facilitator will be Yours Truly.

(More info on my background is here.)  

Interested?  Consider a FREE meeting!

 

Contact me and let’s discuss how we can

develop an effective workshop together,

based on the time and budget you have available. 

I am happy to sendyou an overview of the different ways I could work with you, and/or your team, to look at the future.

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Would you like me to send you a workshop proposal, or suggest some ideas?

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Why not set up a FREE appointment to talk about your interests?

A scenario generation workshop is the ultimate team-building event. It gets a group of your colleagues working together to use their imagination while sharpening their strategic thinking. Challenging the participants to take a far-sighted view of the organization, it will improve everyone's ability to see how many different things could have an impact on your future. And because it calls for energy and creativity, it's actually a lot of fun.  But here's the bonus: unlike most team-building exercises, it's of real strategic value.

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Who could benefit from scenario thinking in your company?

• Your senior management team can define alternative visions of the future, develop strategic initiatives for each one - or use the process to "road-test" the robustness of your existing strategic plan in different landscapes.

• Your board, together with key outside experts, could visualize different futures and ask that a plan be drawn up for each one.

• (Or you could leave the whole thing to a team of invited experts, while you sit in and take notes.)

• A task force looking at a specific business problem could use scenario methodology to explore different ways this problem might evolve.

• About to launch a new product? Your marketing team could use a scenario approach to anticipate possible market evolution and competitor responses.

• You could bring your company’s young high-flyers together for a scenario generation retreat. Not only will they bring fresh perspectives, but observing them in action can help you identify individuals with leadership potential, creativity and strategic thinking.

• New employees could be initiated into the company with a brief scenario development exercise.

• Anyone who needs to work together to make your company successful in the future can benefit from the team-building power of an imaginative and energetic scenario development workshop.

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Let's discuss the kind of workshop that would work best for you. Once I know a few details about what you have in mind, I'll be happy to send you a proposal.  So lets plan to meet or talk in the near future - contact me here.