Making Decisions using "STO" Planning

Hey there, fellow hustlers! Ever feel like you're playing business whack-a-mole? I get it. We're all in that zone, constantly putting out fires left and right just to keep the ship sailing.

But hold up, let's talk real for a sec. Sure, it's a sign that your biz is up and running, but let's face it—living in firefighting mode 24/7? That's like sprinting a marathon. It's keeping things afloat, but is it really sustainable for the long haul? Let's dive in and find some smoother sailing strategies...

A training with EKUINAS Catalyst 2023 included a session with a Business Strategy Consultant (Risebowl) that emphasised on how we can make better decision making for our company and business as an entrepreneur by looking at it through STO Planning (Strategy, Tactical and Operations).

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In other words, whenever you feel unsure about where the company should be heading or if you're questioning the sustainability of your company's current business model, you may start re-evaluating the following:

Firstly, Strategic Goals (Executive-management, C-Suite, Founders, Upper management)

• To look into the big picture of the entity and this is to be long term focused (2 to 5+ years)

• Dive back into the vision, mission, why, policies and direction

• What should be the right direction of the company?

Secondly, Tactical Goals (Middle-management, Managers)

• Referring to short-term focused (3 months to 2 years)

• Focused on specific business departments

• What are the activities to be planned in strategic alignment?

Thirdly, Operational Alignment (Team and Executives)

• Focuses on the day to day operations

• To be provided with detailed level processes for specific outcomes

• Should be acting in alignment with strategy - which is usually laid down in detail by the team involved in tactical

The reality is, most organizations tend to fail in achieving their strategic goals mainly due to the following:

1. Inability to Monitor, Test & Adapt

2. Disjointed Planning & Processes

3. Lack of Alignment Strategy

4. Unclear vision and strategy

Source(s): Bain Management Tools (2007), McKinsey Quarterly Web Survey 2006

By strategically aligning your long-term goals, mapping out tactical maneuvers, and fine-tuning day-to-day operations, STO Planning empowers you to shift from reactive to proactive, ensuring your business doesn't just survive but thrives. It's time to step off the firefighting treadmill and start paving a smoother path toward sustainable success with STO Planning.

Disclaimer: The concept of the Strategy-Tactics-Operations triangle discussed in this post was inspired by training from Risebowl. While adapted for this discussion, the content reflects personal interpretations, and readers are encouraged to seek diverse perspectives for a comprehensive understanding.