The following pages contain a “fill-in-the-blanks” copy of the YPS President’s Model. A Microsoft Word version is available upon e-mail request to info@ypsgroup.com.

The President’s Model is an excellent guide for developing a strategic plan. It should be reviewed regularly and updated annually. All functions and levels in the firm should be involved. Versions of it should be completed for the firm as a whole and for each major functional area.

Company Name: _____________________

President’s Model

Vision

• A one-sentence statement that provides a broad, long-term summary of what the firm is striving to become.
• For example: IVANS Inc.’s vision is to be the predominant pathway for electronic commerce, serving the insurance and healthcare industries.
• Your vision:

Mission

• A one-sentence statement of what the firm intends to achieve for it’s customers and how.
• For example: Improve the profit performance and productivity of our members and their trading partners through the efficient acquisition and strategic application of communications and information technologies.
• Your mission:

Goals

• Three to five broad, one-sentence statements that describe the key things that will be accomplished to achieve the vision and mission.
• For example:
  • Grow the interface business
  • Develop Electronic Commerce Solutions and Services
  • Develop Consultative partnerships with members to advance their business progress
  • Continue to build communities of common interest
• Your goals:
  • …
  • …
  • …

Objectives

• Three to five statements of specific targets to be met. Each must answer the question, “How much, by when?” This page should be completed for the firm as a whole and for each major department.
• For example:
  • Achieve revenue of $50 Million in 2001.
  • Earn 27% net profit before tax over the next three years.
  • Develop three new products/services that contribute $2 Million in annual revenue by year-end 2005.
  • Increase productivity (revenue per employee) by 10% by year-end 2002.
• Your objectives:
  • …
  • …
  • …

Environment

• A series of statements regarding significant factors affecting the business over which the firm has no control. These could be regarding social, political, macro-economic, market and/or other factors.
• For example:
  • Tight and rapidly changing regulation by federal and state governments
  • Extremely low unemployment
  • Entry of multiple foreign firms into the U.S.
  • Intense merger/acquisition activity
• Your key environmental factors:
  • …
  • …
  • …

Culture

• Companies vary substantially across a wide range of formal and informal variables that reflect aspects of corporate culture. Some of these aspects can be seen in the way companies perform certain functions, others in prevalent attitudes and modes of behavior and others in some of the operating activities and results of the company.

• Circle the most appropriate number for your firm:

• Personnel

• Turnover ………………… Tenure
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• New hires at all levels …………..
  ..….. New hires at entry level only
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Money = Security …………….. ……….… = Lifetime employment
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Discrete Contract …
  … Loyalty, Membership
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Social responsibility

• Profit Maximization …
  … Good Corporate Citizen
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Power Relationships

• Strong superior/weak subordinate
  … Collegial
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Formal Hierarchy…
  … Informal
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Closed Policy Forums …
  …Open Policy Forums
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Vertical Communications…
  …Horizontal Communications
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Individual Authority …
  … Group Authority
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Single Decision-Maker …
  …Group Decision Making
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Survival of the Fittest …
  … Parliamentary
  • 1 2 3 4 5
• Manager’s Role

• Financial Manager …
  … Entrepreneur
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Watch Dog ………….… Gardener
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Explicit/Discrete Objectives …
  … Implicit/Broad Objectives
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Controls

• Direct ………..………….. Indirect
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Strong ……………………… Weak
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Formal …………………. Informal
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Performance Evaluation

• Formal/Regular …
  … Informal/Periodic
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Frequent ………………….. Infrequent
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Quantitative & Objective …
  … Qualitative & Subjective
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Operational Emphasis

• Efficiency …………….. Excellence
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Short Term ………….. Long Term
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Financial ……. Strategic Position
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Planning

• Tactical …………………. Strategic
  • 1 2 3 4 5

• Formal/Tight ……. Stretch/Creative
  • 1 2 3 4 5

SWOTs

• Strengths – Your firm’s major pluses
  • …
  • …
  • …

• Weaknesses – Your firm’s major minuses
  • …
  • …
  • …
• Opportunities – Things/situations your firm could exploit
  • …
  • …
  • …
• Threats – Things/situations that could hurt your firm
  • …
  • …
  • …

Strategy

• Four to six specific statements of how the firm and each of the major departments will achieve its goals & objectives and fulfill the vision & mission
• For example:
  • Finance
    • Assess and reinforce the operating plan process
    • Ensure earlier and more disciplining role in the business development process
  • Information Technology
    • Implement a new internet web site with customer order entry capability
    • Implement billing system with integrated A/R
  • Sales
    • Implement quarterly product and selling skills training sessions
    • Migrate from product-oriented specialization to customer need-oriented specialization

• Strategy for __________________:
  • …
  • …
  • …
• Strategy for __________________:
  • …
  • …
  • …

Organization

• Insert your organization chart here. Update it at least quarterly.

Measurements

• Specific definitions of key measurements for the firm and for each major department
• For example:
  • Finance
    • Collection period – Average number of days between mailing of invoice to deposit in our bank
    • Closing Report – Percentage of time that monthly financial results report is delivered by the third working day of the month
  • Information Technology
    • Percentage of the time between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday that the network is available
    • Percentage of projects that are delivered on time or early and on or under budget
  • Sales
    • Revenue growth – Percentage increase in year-to-date revenue over last year
    • Call Reporting – Percentage of weeks that call reports are complete, accurate and submitted by noon Monday

• Key Measurements for ______________:
  • …
  • …
  • …
• Key Measurements for ______________:
  • …
  • …
  • …
• Key Measurements for ______________:
  • …
  • …
  • …