Advisory Board
Most business planning boils down to 3 key questions:
- Where are you now?
- Where do you want to go?
- How are you going to get there?
But here’s the thing… if you don’t zero in and take a proper look at where you are right now, everything else is just smoke and mirrors.
That’s why I like to use ‘the good, the bad + the ugly’, a simple strategic planning exercise that helps you take a brutally honest look at where you’re at. It’s perfect for team engagement, strategy workshop kick-offs, or just a quick and dirty strategic review of the business.
Interested in the process? Watch as I explain it in the video below.
how it works
1. Grab a whiteboard or a couple of pieces of butcher’s paper and write NOW in the centre.
2. Then, split it into 2 sides and on each side write down:
- the good
- What’s working well?
- What are we proud of?
- What should we keep doing or do more of?
- the bad [or as I often call it, the ‘not so good]’
- What’s been frustrating?
- What’s not quite right?
- What are the areas of the business that could work better?
This isn’t a venting session – it’s about creating space for honest, constructive input.
3. Now, find the ugly… here’s where it gets interesting.
Once everyone’s shared their thoughts on the ‘good’ and the ‘not so good’, get the team on their feet and hand out 3 to 5 votes each.
They can place their ticks anywhere on the board, and ask them to vote for:
- Anything in the ‘good’ column that needs to be enhanced even further or protected at all costs; or
- Anything in the ‘not so good’ column that, if fixed, would have the greatest impact on the business.
The things with the most ticks? That’s your ‘ugly’, the stuff that stands out as the most important to address, fix, or enhance going forward.
why it works
Because it gets real. Fast.
Most planning sessions jump straight to “what’s broken”, but this gives you the full picture. You’re looking at wins and worries, so you’re not just solving problems, you’re building on strengths.
You’ll almost always see more in the ‘not so good’ column than the ‘good’ – and that’s totally fine. What matters is what rises to the top. Some items might actually appear on both sides of the board.
This process works well when:
- You need a quick pulse check on the business
- You want to kick off a planning session with focus
- You’re looking for a fast, honest way to get your team engaged and communicating
It’s simple, fast, and makes people feel heard, all while giving you actual priorities to work with.
time to find your ugly?
You don’t need a fancy framework or a full-day offsite. Just a whiteboard, a few markers, and a team willing to roll up their sleeves and be honest about what’s working… and what’s not.
And wherever you go, always start your session by building trust with the team. As a leader, there’s nothing more powerful than kicking things off by saying something bold and unexpected right at the beginning. It sets the tone for an honest convo right from the start.
need a hand?
If you want someone to run the session, challenge the thinking, or help turn all those ticks into a real plan of attack, that’s exactly what we do. Check out how our business advisors can help, or give us a buzz on 1300BDEPOT to chat it through!
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