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Leading into the future.

Strategies define how an organization moves from its current state toward a desired future — such as its vision and mission — through concrete actions.

 Merlin Klein

Merlin Klein

Principal & Partner

klein@imap-institut.de

+49 (0) 211 513 69 73 - 13

Projects

Along the way, strategies serve the following functions:

They...

...provide the organization with direction and define what it ultimately aims to achieve.

...establish priorities — and, just as importantly, clarify what not to pursue.

...strengthen team cohesion through a shared goal.

...purposefully initiate change, ensuring the organization’s continued existence.

IMAP's approach to strategy development

 

Due to the increasing dynamics organizations face today, the process of strategy development and monitoring requires new methods that proactively respond to these changes. We tailor the approach itself to fit your organization — because fundamentally, there are many procedural options, and only the specific context can determine which is most appropriate.

We roughly distinguish three phases in strategy development:

1. Analysis

  • Conducting the analyses
  • Systematizing and evaluating the results
  • Discussion

2. Options and decisions

 

  • Development of strategic options
  • Feedback on the drafts
  • Decisions on an option or adjustments

3. Operationalization

  • Derivation of sub-goals, measures, deadlines, and responsibilities
  • Alignment with organizational design & culture
  • Implementation & monitoring
The analysis phase is followed by the phase of identifying strategic options and making decisions, and finally the phase of operationalization and control — which can then loop back to the next analysis phase.

The success of a strategy is significantly influenced by how each phase is practically shaped.
Our approach is generally guided by the following principles:

To meet the specific mission of public sector organizations, we take into account three different levels of impact already in the analysis phase: alongside input/output effects, we also consider the outcome level (target groups) and the impact level (society as a whole).

To strengthen commitment and bring diverse perspectives into the creative phase of option development, we use participatory methods and inclusive engagement.

To effectively embed the strategy within the organization, we recommend aligning it with the existing organizational design and culture, so that adjustments can be initiated during the implementation phase.

To link monitoring dynamically with recurring analysis phases, we design the overall process to become a driver for building skills and empowering your leadership team.

The outcome

You will receive a strategy development process tailored specifically to your organization.

Together with your leadership team, you design and implement a strategy aligned with your organization’s mission and vision, featuring clear goals, milestones, and actions.

You secure the leadership team’s approval for the organizational development initiatives launched in this way.