Before You Build a Strategic Plan: 5 Things Every Leader Should Do First
The best strategies start with people, not paper. Before you plan, pause. Get your team grounded and your culture ready. Clarity and trust create the conditions where strategy can actually work.
Most organizations jump straight into strategic planning. The retreat gets booked, goals get listed, and excitement builds.
Strategy, culture, and people don’t live in separate lanes, they move together.
Strategy gives direction.
Culture fuels movement.
And people carry both forward.
Now that you understand how they connect, it’s time to prepare for what’s next: creating a strategy that reflects that connection.
Before you begin strategy planning, take time to prepare. A great plan on paper won’t go anywhere without people who believe in it, understand it, and are ready to make it real.
Here are five ways to get ready:
1. Get curious about where you really are.
Before you decide where to go, get clear about where you are.
Ask yourself and your team:
What’s working well in our culture right now?
Where are communication and trust breaking down?
What’s creating energy, and what’s draining it?
This isn’t about blame. It’s about truth. When leaders see things clearly, they plan with more intention and less guesswork.
2. Reconnect to purpose.
Planning without purpose turns into a list of tasks. Purpose keeps strategy human and connected to why the work matters.
Ask your team:
Why do we exist?
Who do we serve?
What happens when we’re at our best?
Purpose anchors strategy in what matters most, and that’s what keeps people moving forward, even when change feels uncomfortable.
3. Clarify the kind of culture you want to build.
Every plan depends on how people work together. When that understanding isn’t clear, friction fills the gap. Be intentional about the kind of culture your plan needs to thrive.
Ask:
How do we make decisions?
How do we handle conflict?
What does accountability look like here?
Culture gives strategy life, and strategy gives culture direction. One can’t thrive without the other.
4. Assess readiness, not just appetite.
Many teams say they’re ready to plan. Readiness is more than enthusiasm; it’s focus and capacity.
Ask:
Do we have the time and energy this process deserves?
Are the right people involved?
Are we willing to make real choices, not just list priorities?
Planning before you’re ready creates activity without traction. Readiness builds momentum that lasts.
5. Create space for honest dialogue.
The best planning sessions start before the session itself.
Start the conversation early. Ask people what success looks like, what challenges they see, and what they hope the organization becomes.
When people feel heard before the process begins, they’re more likely to buy in, contribute openly, and commit to the outcome.
Leadership ROI Checkpoint
Reflection
Ask yourself: Am I creating the environment where strategy can live and grow?
Great plans don’t start with templates; they start with alignment. When leaders lead with clarity and connection, strategy has room to take root.
Observation
Look for patterns in how your team communicates and decides.
Ask: What do I notice about how we work together when pressure is high?
Those behaviors will either accelerate or block your planning process.
Implementation
Take one intentional step before planning begins.
Action: Create space for an open conversation about what success looks like and what might get in the way.
Small actions build readiness and trust, two essentials for a strategy that lasts.
Closing Thought
Culture and strategy are two sides of the same coin.
Culture shapes how people move together. Strategy focuses movement toward results.
Before you build your next plan, make sure both are strong.
FAQs About Preparing for Strategic Planning
Q1: Why should I prepare before strategic planning?
Preparation builds clarity and trust, so you can use your planning time to align on choices instead of debating what’s broken.
Q2: How long should this preparation take?
A few focused weeks of reflection and conversation can make a major difference. The goal is depth, not duration.
Q3: Who should be part of pre-planning conversations?
Start with your leadership team, then expand to voices who live the daily work. They see where systems and culture connect, or not.
Q4: What’s the biggest mistake leaders make before planning?
Jumping into tactics without clarity. Strategy is about focus, and focus requires shared understanding.
Q5: How does culture influence strategic planning success?
Culture shapes how strategy lives. A healthy culture sustains progress through accountability and trust.