Increase engagement by helping having a specific purpose of each planning meeting or discussion. Make sure that everyone in the room knows the purpose of this session. Use an overview map to help people visualize strategic intent, a strategic plan, long term plan and tactical plans.

Draw or sketch a diagram that describes the point of this specific aspect of the planning activity to your working group. Make sure you show how the activity connects to the target or end goal of this particular session.

Because strategic planning and creating a strategic storyboard can involve a series of meetings, this kind of clarity can keep your group focused, on track and highly productive.

A hand-drawn chart is flexible and you can make the most out of it by following a few easy guidelines.

Show the Title
Use everything that you have available to reinforce the purpose and point you want to make. Write the title of this particular planning session in big, bold letters at the top of your chart.

Clarify the Time
Write down the amount of time you’ll be using to have this part of the discussion. This helps groups and teams stay on track with not only the purpose but also the timeframe for an activity. Each session that you start on time and end on time is a success in building trust with your group.

Develop the Agenda for This Session
Use the map or chart to anchor your point at the beginning of the activity. Plant the seeds for clarity at the start. You won’t be able to accomplish everything in one session— but you will be more likely to engage your audience and get people coming back for the next planning session if you clearly state the goals for this session. And stick to them!

Identify Next Steps
Clarify next steps on a separate chart. This helps groups stay on track and keep a focus on action. Planning without action is like cooking without eating!

Debrief for Ongoing Improvement
Check back with the agenda that you started with. Ask the group to shift into dialogue about the overall process and effectiveness of the session. The agenda is the opening and debrief the closing.

Keep focusing on how to build on what is working and you’ll find that every session just gets better and better results.

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