Make your annual plan a compass to be able to send with OGSM during the year

OGSM: The key to successfully implementing your strategy in a dynamic world

OGSM — which stands for Objectives, Goals, Strategies, and Measures — is the method for managers and team leaders who want to turn their strategic ambitions into tangible results. The model links the (long-term) ambition to daily operations by providing targeted control and mapping everything measurably. It thus not only offers a clear plan, but also a compass that guides your team in the stormy sea of daily worries. Where traditional annual plans are often bogged down in vague intentions and fluffy language, with OGSM, you can create a SMART and to the point plan in which each strategic choice must be sharply expressed and directly linked and contributes to your ultimate goal.

The building blocks of a successful annual plan in OGSM

An effective annual plan is more than just a collection of good intentions. It is a balance between ambition, logic and emotion, and consists of a few essential elements:

• An inspiring and clear Objective: Instead of focusing on tasks, you focus on a sharply formulated ambition. What exactly do you want to achieve? This should not only be ambitious, but also give your team and/or the entire organization a clear direction. A well-formulated ambition describes in a short sentence what you are working towards, who you are there for in the market and what the specific direction is to follow up on it.
  • Example: The most popular caterer among educational institutions by continuously surprising with innovative, healthy and delicious lunches in an out of the box presentation
• Specific and measurable goals: This ambition is then translated into clear tangible goals to support your Objective with clear, measurable milestones. This includes increasing your turnover, improving customer satisfaction, or developing new products.
  • Example: Annual growth of 25 secondary schools
• Practical strategies: These are the building blocks of your plan and guide how you will achieve your goals.
  • Example: Widely represented at leading schools by inspiring them with our surprising concept and sharing best practices.
• KPI Dashboards: These are the measurements to determine whether your strategy is on track.
  • Example: 10 introduction requests per month
• Concrete actions: These are the tactical actions (projects) that you carry out to follow up each strategy.
  • Example: Familiar to school management by automating our outbound acquisition in combination with smart software

How do you make sure your plan works?

The success of an OGSM plan depends not only on the content, but even more on the implementation and involvement of the team.

Make sure you have sufficient behavior: When you draw up a plan, it is important that all important owners are behind it. Therefore, make sure that they not only know about the plan but have also contributed to its realization in order to ensure real ownership.

Ensure good follow-up: It is crucial to build in a tight review cycle throughout the year. For example, discuss project progress on a weekly basis within your team, review results monthly, and conduct an in-depth review quarterly to see if you're on track to achieve your strategic goals. This prevents chaos and ensures that everyone knows where and when what is being discussed.

Stay agile: We live in a time where circumstances can change rapidly. Thanks to regular evaluations, you can adapt your OGSM plan to the reality of the day, without losing sight of the course. Opt for a pragmatic PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act & Adapt) and make sure you regularly check whether you are on the right track based on results achieved (KPIs in Goals and Measures). Then adjust your approach if necessary but stick to your ambition and goals. This way, you can continue to work in a goal-oriented manner and at the same time adjust flexibly and agile to your goals.

Have a better chance of success by steering with OGSM within your organization

Are you a manager ready to turn your annual plan into a powerful tool that really makes a difference? OGSM offers the structure and flexibility you need. Do you already have experience with OGSM, or are you considering using it now? Share your experiences, questions or tips in the comments below — together we'll learn how to better steer our organizations to success.

Getting started with OGSM? Download free templates in various formats on OGSM.com here. And remember: writing a good plan is great. Implementing the plan properly makes all the difference. Good luck!

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