Module 2 SESSION 2:

The Importance of a Statement of

Strategic Intent

John PisapiaFlorida Atlantic University

Tony TownsendGriffith University

Principals as Strategic Leaders

When opportunity comes, it's too late to

prepare! – Henry Ford

Key Assumption

Structural Components Process Components

Navigating Committee

Work plans Data Types Statement of

Intent Design Team

Transparency Situational

Analysis Look Outside• Stakeholder

Analysis Look Inside

Strategic Listening Social Intelligence

Learn Strategic

Conversations Analysis/Decision

Making

Let’s RecapThe Structural and Process Components of Strategic Thinking

√

Strategic Leaders Find the Future and Make it Happen!

The SL Methodology

The Statement of Strategic Intent

In this PaSL session, we provide a description of the parts of a statement of strategic intent.

Philosophy

Strategic Thinking Capability

The End Game

A Statement of Strategic IntentThe Principle

The statement of strategic intent provides a sustaining direction and articulates the school’s

point of view.

How it worksIt describes who you are as an organization, what you stand for, who you want to become, and how

you will behave as you work to achieve it .

It is the Torch which Lights the Way for others to follow

Create an Actionable Plan

Mission

Core Values

Aspiration

Priorities

The Statement of Intent

One page front and back

Positions your school effectively in its external environment.

The Statement of Strategic Intent

Its also:• A point view on the future• A strategy

Statement of Intent Components Mission

Describes target customer/client needs to served - why you are in business? - one sentence - no more than 3 clear, crisp, compelling concepts.

AspirationClearly & concretely defines a compelling desired future in one sentence. What we want to become?

Core Values/Guiding PrinciplesDescribe what makes your school unique – what it stands for and how it will act in the daily flow of activity.

Priorities/Actions/InitiativesDescribe how to win! FITs the school to its external and internal environment and FOCUSES its members on what needs to be done to move toward its Aspiration. Mission, Aspiration and Principles are fixed – Priorities/Initiatives are flexible.

The mission statement

Tries to answer this question: “What is our purpose? – Who does our school serve?– What products/services do you

produce/provide?– What locations do you serve?

What are we in business to accomplish?

A s p i r a ti o n

• Clearly and concretely define a compelling desired future. • Orient organizational members to a future state not yet

articulated • Provide a sense of destiny for the organization.• Provide a sense of direction but not necessarily a Destination• Describes what the organization wants and hopes to become.• Inspire people• Encourage colleagues to reframe their thinking , reorganize

their priorities and guide their subsequent actions.

What needs to happen here?

A Sense of Di rectionThe Aspiration describes the

The values statement

• What standards will we hold our selves and perhaps our clients to?

• Many organizations use their values statements as a reference point for decisions more than their mission and/or vision statements.

What do we expect of

ourselves?

PrioritiesWe found the future… now. . .

How do we move toward it?

WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD WE PURSUE TO MOVE TOWARD OUR ASPIRATION?

Value of a Well-Conceived Statement of Intent

• Ties the target customer/client, your Aspiration, and actions together in a captivating way.

• Crystallizes long-term direction• Reduces risk of rudderless decision-making• Conveys organizational purpose and identity• Keeps direction-related actions of lower-level

managers on common path• Helps organization prepare for the future

It Lights the Way

Now its your TurnA s s i g n m e n t :

Prepare a 2 page “Statement of Strategic Intent” for your organization

or the one you wish to lead, or for yourself Consider – The strategic forces impacting your

situations? What are our options?

Determine - Who are we? What do we value? How should we respond to those forces?

Decide - What actions will we take to move toward our Aspiration? What are our Priorities and Initiatives?

16

The Strategic Leader

Let’s start the process by conducting a stakeholder analysis in our next session