If you’ve been around strategic planning for a while, you’ll know most frameworks boil down to three core questions: 

  1. Where are we now? 
  2. Where are we going? 
  3. How are we going to get there? 

Simple, right? But in practice, most planning sessions aren’t a blank canvas. They’re a reset, a realignment, or a refresh of an existing plan. That’s why I like to add a fourth step at the end: why. 

Unlike Simon Sinek’s popular ‘start with why’ approach, I prefer to close with why. It’s the moment we reconnect our agreed actions back to the purpose… the reason we’re doing this in the first place. It grounds the plan, aligns the team and builds momentum for execution.

 

here’s how we run it

 

Watch below as I walk you through it or scroll to read on! 

 

 

step 1: NOW… get real about the current state 

 

Before you set direction, make sense of where you truly stand. This isn’t about spreadsheets alone, it’s about perspective. 

To get perspective, there’s a few simple tools we like to use: 

  • The 4L’s: to reflect with your team on what you’ve Loved, Loathed, Learned and Longed for. 
  • Magic wand: if we could wave a wand and fix three things tomorrow, what would they be? 

These tools help surface the truth quickly and get everyone on the same page without getting stuck in paralysis. 

 

step 2: WHERE… clarify where you’re headed 

 

Once the ‘now’ is clear, set direction with intent. The aim here is to get clarity on what success looks like, not just lofty words, but a picture your team can point to. 

Ways to do it: 

  • Vision mapping 
  • Affinity mapping 
  • Headline test [what headlines do we want to read about ourselves in 12-24 months?] 

The outcome should be a shared destination that guides choices and trade-offs. 

 

step 3: HOW… turn direction into action 

 

This is where strategy becomes real. We document what we’ll do, in what order and who’s on the hook.

My go-to here is the 3 Russian brother + their cousin, it’s a simple but powerful planning tool I borrowed from the insightful Glenn Capelli that covers: 

  • Morov: What’s working that we want to do more of? 
  • Lessov: What do we need to do less of or ease off on? 
  • Ridov: What’s dragging us down that we need to get rid of completely? 
  • Tossin: What are we not doing yet that we want to toss into the mix? 

Pair that with clear milestones and a simple rhythm for accountability and you’ve got a plan that can actually move. 

 

step 4: WHY… reconnect action to purpose 

 

At the end, loop back and ask: why these priorities, and why now?

Finishing with why reinforces alignment, filters distractions and fuels execution.

This final step turns a list of tasks into a mission your team can own.

 

we’re here to help 

If you’d like us to guide your next planning day, we’re here to help. We’ll bring the tools, structure, and a healthy dose of challenge to help you reset, realign, or refresh your plan with clarity and confidence. 

Reach out to me directly at j.knight@businessdepot.com.au or give us a buzz on 1300BDEPOT. 

 

Note: I originally learned about Now, Where, How + Why from Mindshop International

 

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