Grand Strategy Programs

 

 

Grand Strategy Interest

 

John Warden
President and Founder 
Venturist, Inc.

Message from Venturist founder and president, John Warden:

At some point—hopefully soon–the world will certainly return to relative normalcy but I suspect that we have discovered that we can do a lot of things online or remotely and will continue to use many of these approaches even when travel and in-person meetings come back into use. Thus, our new online programs.

In challenging times, we all have a tendency to focus on tactics and overlook strategy but it is in such times that strategy becomes even more important—to ensure that we address burning tactical issues without creating unneeded longer term problems and to prepare ourselves for the opportunities that will follow the current disturbances. The Prometheus Strategy Process is invaluable for both.

 John Warden

 

 

GRAND STRATEGY PROGRAMS

GRAND STRATEGY & COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES LIVE & VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

 

Grand Strategy Program

A Grand Strategy is a comprehensive plan designed to take an organization to new levels of success.    It is best created in open planning (virtual or live) so that when completed, it is thoroughly understood by those who will make it a reality. It includes each element of the Prometheus Process in executable detail.  This is the best program for organizations determined to prosper.

A full Grand Strategy Development program has three major objectives for the organization undertaking it

  • Sufficient understanding of the process to allow the organization to use the process on its own
  • A start-to-finish written Grand Strategy
  • Initiation of campaign activities against Centers of Gravity

To achieve the first two objectives, the group developing the strategy sees a presentation on an aspect of the process, then using what it has learned, develops that aspect of the strategy.  This approach continues until the group has seen and developed all elements of the process and has a Grand Strategy ready for execution.  To satisfy the third objective, the group undertakes campaigns to change Centers of Gravity as quickly as possible.  The deliverables are as follows:

  • One or more echelons of management conversant with the Prometheus strategy process and able to use it without assistance to address additional opportunities.
  • A comprehensive Grand Strategy per the Prometheus Process (Future Picture, Measures of Merit, Guiding Precepts, System Identification, Desired System Effects, Internal and External Centers of Gravity with strategic Impact Plans, Fractal Development of Key Centers of Gravity, Forward Look Assessment, Master Effects Plan, and Exit Points and End Game Plans).
  • Identification and formation of campaign teams responsible for execution.
  • Initiation of execution.

The Program takes place in one or more modules.  The first—and necessary—module  takes the Company Senior Leadership Team through the development of the Grand Strategy to the initiation of campaigns. 

  • Module 1: the Senior Leadership Team (~5-15 people) learns the  process and develops a draft Grand Strategy
    • Live: six contact days conducted in three sessions of two days each separated by four to five weeks, or two sessions of three days separated by three to five weeks. (some homework between sessions)
    • Virtual: Twelve four-hour online sessions with one to three sessions per week. Note: Participants watch applicable online videos (average 15 minutes each) prior to each online session

OPTIONAL MODULES 

  • Module 1A (highly recommended): The second/third echelon Management Team (10-40 people) learns the  process, buys in, and participates in review and revision of the draft Grand Strategy
    • Live: one three-day session with the participation of the Senior Leadership Team
    • Virtual: twelve four-hour online sessions over a one to three week period. Note:  Participants watch applicable online videos (average 15 minutes each) prior to each online session
  • Module 1B: Campaign Team Training:  Campaign Teams and/or Center of Gravity Leads learn detailed campaign execution process that help the teams begin work with the Centers of Gravity.
    • Live: half-day sessions per team or group
    • Virtual: One four-hour online session per group
  • Module 2: Fractal strategy development by any company business group that is relatively autonomous.  ( Live or virtual—sessions and times dependent on nature of project)

 aDDITIONAL sERVICES aVAILABLE

  • Ongoing and Campaign Team Assistance: on-site (or virtual) Venturist personnel help Company Teams develop and execute Center of Gravity Action Plans and other related projects over a twelve month period
  • Roll-outs to Company personnel who have not participated in the strategy planning or campaign activities. The purpose is to familiarize these people in a four-hour session with the Prometheus Process and with the organization’s Grand Strategy in order to move the whole organization toward strategic alignment.
  • COMPANY Senior Leadership Team and selected Management Team members review strategic progress and campaign execution in three  separate half- day sessions (or four-hour virtual sessions) during the campaign execution period.  Emphasis is on improving execution and identifying key areas of the strategy that require attention.
  • Additional tailored roll-out sessions
  • Tailored sessions for specific disciplines such as sales or branding
  • Periodic review and refresher programs
  • Leadership and orchestrator coaching
  • Project development and execution

GRAND STRATEGY VIRTUAL (IDENTICAL IN CONTENT TO THE LIVE PROGRAM)

  • For the virtual program, participants watch the relevant Online Strategy Videos (about fifteen minutes each) prior to online four-hour strategy development Zoom sessions which can be done once or twice a week until the module is completed.. The actual strategy development is done using Trello which allows everyone to participate in real time.

COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PROGRAM

This program is for the management group that wants to develop a great strategy for a new initiative such as a new product introduction, a new customer group campaign, or a new business venture. The program uses the Prometheus Process but abbreviates some of the steps that would be used to develop a full organization grand strategy. The deliverables are : measurable strategic objectives with timeline (Future Picture); identification of needed external and internal system change; resource application points (Centers of Gravity) and what they must become (Impact Plans); a campaign plan for a compressed timeframe (Parallel Operations); identification of exit points and plans (End-game planning); behavior guidelines (Guiding Precepts); and strategic principles assessment (Cardinal Rules).

The methodology is similar to the full grand strategy development program in that participants see a presentation by a Prometheus expert on an element of the Prometheus Process, then use what they learned to build in open planning that portion of the condensed strategy.

  • Live:  Three consecutive days for a group of 5-15 people
  • Virtual: Twelve four-hour sessions over a three to five week period.  (Note:   participants watch the relevant Online Strategy Videos (about fifteen minutes) prior to online four-hour strategy development Zoom sessions which can be done once or twice a week.  The actual strategy development is done using Trello which allows everyone to participate in real time.