Seminar 1: Organization Lifecycles and Strategic Planning for the Entrepreneurial Enterprise

Seminar Location and Time

University of Maryland University College
Dorsey Station

September 9, 2008
8–11 a.m.

Description

This three-hour program will address two key topics for the owners and leaders of entrepreneurial enterprises. The first topic will be an overview of management roles and organization lifecycles. This will provide a solid foundation for the coursework throughout the remainder of the program. The second topic deals with the importance of long-range strategic planning and a “How to Guide for Long-Range Strategic Planning.”  

Goals

After completing this seminar, you will be able to:

• Understand the four basic roles of management
• Develop an effective organizational structure based upon the four roles—Right People in the Right Seats
• Identify and fix mismanagement styles
• Identify where your enterprise is in the Lifecycle and develop strategies to grow your enterprise to the next stage of development
• Develop strategies to avoid the "Founder’s Trap"
• Understand and develop the framework for building an effective long-range strategic plan
  

 

Outline and Structure

A. Management Roles and Organization Lifecycles for the Entrepreneurial Enterprise

1. The Four Basic Roles of Management

• Producer
• Administrator
• Entrepreneur
• Integrator

2. Mismanagement Styles

• How to indentify
• How to fix

3. Building the Ideal Executive Management Team

• Best styles—the right roles
• Organization structure

4. Organization Lifecycles

• From an infant to a prime organization
• The ideal path to creating a growing and sustainable organization
• Avoiding the “Founder’s Trap”
• Problems along the way and the solutions
• Prime—getting there and staying there

B. Long-Range Strategic Planning for the Entrepreneurial Enterprise

Strategic planning is:

1. Centered on the vision

2. Balanced by addressing more than just financial goals:

• Business Process: To satisfy our customers, in which business processes must we excel?
• Innovation and Infrastructure: To achieve our vision, how we will sustain our ability to change and improve?
• Customer/Markets: To achieve our vision, how should we appear to our customers?
• Financial: To succeed financially, how should we appear to the owner(s)?

3. A process that will yield the following results:

• Clarity on the personal goals for the owner and how the company will be an enabler for achievement (the reason for being an entrepreneur)
• A clear vision for the company, so that all of the employees know where the company is headed (the destination)
• Clear objectives and initiatives to achieve the vision (the map)
• Establishment of the key strategic imperatives which are critical in the achievement of the vision (the strategic focus and directions)
• Tactical enablers that must be addressed to ensure that the company can move forward and create process efficiencies (the removal of the road blocks that enable capacity and vision achievement)
• Development of a scorecard or dashboard that allows the company to measure progress toward the vision (the gauges)
• Development of a communications plan and supporting visuals to ensure that the plan is understood throughout the company (the line of sight)
• A tracking and refinement process (the checkpoints and corrections)
  

 

Materials and Preparation for Participants

Participants will receive preparation work assignments approximately one month prior to this seminar. A workbook will be available for all participants attending.

Suggested Reading

Adizes, I., Managing Corporate Lifecycles. Santa Barbara, CA: The Adizes Institute Publishing, 2004

 

Contact Information

For this Seminar Topic

L. Mitchell Vandiver III
President, Strategies, Inc.
8 Park Center Court, Suite 110
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-363-6669
Mitch@strategiescorp.net

Rochelle Mendelsohn
Managing Director, Strategies, Inc.
8 Park Center Court, Suite 110
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-363-6669
Rochelle@strategiescorp.net

For the Entrepreneur Development Center

University of Maryland University College
Dorsey Station
443-459-3500
edc@umuc.edu