Don’t become a Zombie organization

In thinking about what causes organizations not to create and be pursuing an up-to-date strategic plan, the challenge and stress of bad economic times comes to mind.

When an organization feels beseiged, the natural tendancy is to both hunker down and to take very short-term actions to improve the situation.  The organization's focus narrows, costs are cut, advertising is pulled back, people are reduced.

The issue with this response is that while the organization may "survive" in the short run, going forward it may be a shell of itself, perhaps even a Zombie organization, technically functioning perhaps, but very impared and not at all healthy, lurching about without any direction except to find whatever else can be devoured for continued survival.

Well, perhaps "Zombie" is a bit over dramatic, but survival without a path to a better future may be no better than failure.

McGraw-Hill famously in recessions past has made the point that advertising is more important for organizations in bad economic times than in good times.  It can raise confidence in the organization. It positions the organization for growth by keeping it in the eyes of customers while others are falling away.

Likewise, the case for strategic planning in a recession is that the planning is important to keep the organization's view wider so that as it takes the necessary survival steps it does as little as possible to block the road to a better future.  Simply, what's cut should be of lesser strategic importance.  Strategic planning in a recession can reveal new possibilities and directions made possible by the changed landscape.  Strategic planning in a recession can unite the leadership team and give it a sense of greater hope and purpose.

I know for sure that strategic planning and pursuing a plan to reach a brighter future has to be more fun than lurching around like a Zombie.