Effective Strategy Workshops | Zenith Strategy Associates

Workshop objectives and preparation

The purpose of the workshop determines who attends and what they need to read. If a business unit is considering a new market, its leadership team needs an estimate of market size and growth, a view of the main competitors and an assessment of how well it can serve the target customers.

The business unit leader and the people who prepared the market and financial analysis can then discuss the assumptions together. Circulating the analysis beforehand gives participants time to identify gaps and bring questions to the workshop.

Workshop discussion formats

Round-table discussion

Participants discuss documents around a meeting table.

An open discussion suits a small leadership team. The facilitator can ask each participant for a view before the chief executive gives theirs, so the team hears where opinions differ.

Effective Strategy Workshops, page 23.

Breakout groups

A workshop facilitator records a small group’s discussion on a flipchart.

Groups of four to six can examine related questions in more detail. Each group could assess a different customer segment, then explain its recommendation to the wider team.

Effective Strategy Workshops, page 24.

Anonymous voting

A participant enters a vote on a tablet.

A brief vote reveals where participants agree and where views diverge. The facilitator can use a split result to open a discussion about the assumptions behind each choice.

Effective Strategy Workshops, page 25.

Sample strategy workshop agenda

A business with several divisions may need two days to cover both the group portfolio and the strategy of each business unit. For a simpler business, a half-day or full-day workshop may be sufficient.

Selected sessions from the workshop agenda
Agenda item	Discussion topics	Format
Trading update	Group and divisional results, including the main reasons for changes in performance.	The CFO gives a short briefing and takes questions.
Corporate strategy	The balance between head office and divisional responsibilities, and potential acquisitions or divestments.	The facilitator introduces the corporate model. Groups assess which activities belong at head office.
Business unit strategy	Target markets, customer needs and how each business unit can compete.	Small groups develop recommendations for each business unit and discuss them with the executive team.
Prioritisation	Growth opportunities and near-term improvements to profit, in order of priority.	The facilitator lists the opportunities on a whiteboard. The team agrees which to pursue first.

Strategy workshop checklist

Objectives and agenda: The sponsor sets the objectives before inviting participants. Each agenda item should identify the issue for discussion, who will lead it and how much time it needs.
Participants: Include the executives responsible for the strategy and the people who know the markets and financial results. In a privately held business, board members or investors may also play an active role.
Pre-reading: For a discussion on customers, circulate the latest survey results alongside trends in retention and average spend. Participants can then compare what customers say with how their purchasing has changed.
Venue: Check an unfamiliar venue in advance. Everyone needs to be able to see the presentation, and smaller groups need space to work separately.
Facilitation: When participants disagree, the facilitator asks them to explain their reasoning and summarises the points still open at the end of the discussion.
Discussion format: A round-table discussion suits a small team. With a larger group, an anonymous vote can reveal differences of opinion before participants discuss their reasons.
Follow-up: At the close, the sponsor confirms the priorities. The facilitator records the actions, who will take them forward and what further work the team needs to complete the strategy.