Online Class: Strategic Planning

This insightful course is a complete guide for developing, writing and implementing a strategic plan for your organization to ensure short and long-term growth and prosperity.

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$95.00 (with CEU Certificate)
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  • 14
    Lessons
  • 16
    Exams &
    Assignments
  • 486
    Students
    have taken this course
  • 8
    Hours
    average time
  • 0.8
    CEUs
 
 

Course Description

Strategic planning is vital for ensuring an organization still will be a leader in its field 20 years in the future. The plan is a tool leadership can use to judge an organization's health at that moment.

This course is a complete guide for writing and implementing a strategic plan for your organization. Lessons delve into why a plan is needed and explains the difference between a business plan, long-term planning, and a strategic plan. The course also explains how the plan will ensure an organization's success.  It explains the importance of mandates – both formal and informal; how to write a mission and vision statement and why they are important for an organization; and it explains values and how they play a vital role in how decisions are made along with their guiding force within the institution.

We'll take a look at the issues surrounding the organizing of a plan and the types of questions that should be asked so leaders can truly learn an organization's strengths and weaknesses. The course shows how to strengthen weaknesses and also if a weakness is a bad thing or actually a good one for the organization. Risks are inherent in everyone's life and that includes doing business as an organization. The lessons teach leaders how to assess risks and prioritizing an organization's needs as the strategic plan is being constructed.  A look is taken at prioritizing the tactics within the plan and the resources needed to make the plan a success. 

Finally this course gives a complete outline of the main areas found within the plan and offers guidelines for all information contained under the main headings. It also gives guidance for creating ownership within the organization and how to communicate the plan. Guidance also is given for keeping the strategic plan updated and viable for years to come.

  • Completely Online
  • Self-Paced
  • Printable Lessons
  • Full HD Video  
  • 6 Months to Complete
  • 24/7 Availability
  • Start Anytime
  • PC & Mac Compatible
  • Android & iOS Friendly
  • Accredited CEUs
Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider
 

Course Lessons

Average Lesson Rating:
4.4 / 5 Stars (Average Rating)
"Extraordinarily Helpful"
(391 votes)

Lesson 1: Introduction to Strategic Planning. What Is It? What Are the Benefits?

Strategic planning is more than a blueprint to help an organization reach its desired goals. It's an action plan to guide the organization into the future. Additional lesson topics: HBR's Several Must Reads on Strategy including featured article “What Is Strategy?” by Michael E. Porter ; Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement 11 Total Points
  • Lesson 1 Video
  • Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
  • Complete Assignment: An Introduction
  • Assessment: Exam 1

Lesson 2: Analyzing the State of Your Organization

By looking at your organization, you can identify holes in your assets and abilities, and you will know what you can and cannot do with current assets. Additional lesson topics: Managing Safety and Health 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 2 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 2

Lesson 3: Clarifying Organization Mandates and Mission

In this lesson, you will be looking at an organization's mandates and its mission or mission statement. Typically, one is overlooked in strategic planning and without the other, you do not have a strategic plan. Additional lesson topics: What's your mandate?; Business Strategy 5: Step Several Identify Organizational Mandates 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 3 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 3

Lesson 4: Assessing the Environment and Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

This lesson outlines areas in a strategic plan that trip up many organizations. If the assessments are not researched properly and people are not honest in their appraisals, the whole strategic plan could lead to the organizations failure. Additional lesson topics: Analyzing Your Business's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats; Internal and External Analysis 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 4 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 4

Lesson 5: Collecting and Analyzing the Data, and What Are the Issues?

Being able to talk frankly and freely allows all the data to be thoroughly analyzed, verified, and qualified, as pertinent data for the strategic plan. Additional lesson topics: Three keys to building a data-driven strategy; Balanced Scorecard Basics 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 5 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 5

Lesson 6: Stating the Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission statements should be informational for the leaders, employees, and the customers. The statement should concisely talk about the organization's direction, the reason for its existence, and its ideals. Additional lesson topics: Answer Several Questions to Get a Great Mission Statement; How to Write a Mission Statement with examples 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 6 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 6

Lesson 7: Formulate and Plan Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes

For the strategic plan to be successful, a continuous monitoring and evaluation of the plan must take place to ensure success. 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 7 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 7

Lesson 8: Prioritizing Needs and Identifying Risks

Without ownership by everyone involved in the organization, the strategic plan will not be utilized to its fullest potential, which will be detrimental to the organization. Additional lesson topics: Risk Impact/Probability Chart; Risk and Safety Management 9 Total Points
  • Lesson 8 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 8

Lesson 9: Designing and Validating Tactics

The best place organizers should look for tactics needed in the strategic plan is in the initial strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and outside competition or threats listings outlined during the investigation. Additional lesson topics: Validation: How to Get Strategy Right; Several Strategies to Validate Your Product Ideas 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 9 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 9

Lesson 10: Prioritizing Tactics and Resources

For the organization's strategic plan to be a success, there are three critical elements that must be fully vetted--tactics, tools or resources, and a commitment to the plans goals. Additional lesson topics: TACTICS, TOOLS and STRATEGIES? 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 10 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 10

Lesson 11: Outlining and Designing the Plan Including Budgets

This lesson will help you better understand what goes into the strategic plan by creating its outline. This lesson also will offer brief explanations of what is included under each heading. Additional lesson topics: Examples of Effective Budget Strategies; Strategic Plan Template: What to Include In Yours 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 11 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 11

Lesson 12: Process Design and Action Guidelines

Throughout the course, there have been hints as to why a strategic plan is necessary. The main reason given is that the organization now will begin the process to thrive in the future as an industry leader. Additional lesson topics: Developing a strategy as a basis for new product and process development ; Sample Strategic Plans 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 12 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 12

Lesson 13: Documenting and Communicating the Plan

A communication plan is needed to coordinate all the team's efforts and to keep all the information they receive organized. Additional lesson topics: Communicating Your Strategy 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 13 Video
  • Assessment: Exam 13

Lesson 14: Updating and Revising the Plan

The strategic plan does not move an organization into the future if its not being utilized, updated, or revised when needed. 80 Total Points
  • Lesson 14 Video
  • Lesson discussions: What do you think about this course?; Course Comments; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
  • Assessment: Exam 14
  • Assessment: The Final Exam
210
Total Course Points
 

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Define and describe strategic planning.
  • Summarize the process of analyzing the state of your organization.
  • Clarify your organization mandates and mission.
  • Assess the environment and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
  • Collect and analyzing the data - what are the issues.
  • Summarize the mission, vision, and values.
  • Formulate and plan immediate and long-term outcomes.
  • Summarize and prioritize your needs and identify risks.
  • Summarize howto prioritize tactics and resources.
  • Describe processes for outlining, designing plan, including budgets.
  • Define action guidelines.
  • Document and communicate the plan.
  • Update and revise the plan.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
 

Additional Course Information

Online CEU Certificate
  • Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
  • Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
  • Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
  • View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
  • Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media
Document Your CEUs on Your Resume
 
Course Title: Strategic Planning
Course Number: 8900334
Lessons Rating: 4.4 / 5 Stars (391 votes)
Languages: English - United States, Canada and other English speaking countries
Availability: This course is online and available in all 50 states including: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and Washington.
Last Updated: March 2022
Course Type: Self-Paced, Online Class
CEU Value: 0.8 IACET CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
CE Accreditation: Universal Class, Inc. has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
Grading Policy: Earn a final grade of 70% or higher to receive an online/downloadable CEU Certification documenting CEUs earned.
Assessment Method: Lesson assignments and review exams
Instructor: Linda Zavadil
Syllabus: View Syllabus
Course Fee: $95.00 U.S. dollars

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Student Testimonials

  • "I think it is beneficial to me as a future entrepreneur." -- Betty B.
  • "This course was much harder than expected. I enjoyed learning and will use the skills learned." -- Lisa S.
  • "Thank you for your time and lessons." -- Kimberly D.

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