The Straightforward Blog

This post is part three in a series of five covering the Straightforward Consulting approach to strategic planning. The second post revealed "Heart First" as the first big difference between the MBA and PMI approaches to strategic planning and project management.  This post covers the second big difference. According to PMI's own statistics, 77% of high performing companies understand the value of project management. And 40% of low-performing companies understand the value of project management.TeamGantt.com…

This post is part two in a series of five covering the Straightforward Consulting approach to strategic planning. Today's MBA-ish approach to strategic planning typically starts with a SWOT analysis.  In a SWOT analysis, you assess your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.  Some approaches overlay internal vs. external on top of that.  In that overlay, strengths and weaknesses come from inside the organization, while opportunities and threats come from outside. The primary issue with the…

This post is part one in a series covering the Straightforward Consulting approach to strategic planning and project management. As an entrepreneurial business leader, you probably have a strategic plan.  Somewhere.  Collecting dust.  And that's right where it needs to be.  Because, let's face it.  If it were serving you, you'd be using it. So why isn't it serving you?  Why go through the motions of creating a plan…that sucks? I've watched many entrepreneurial leaders…