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Strategic session

Nikiforov Alexander
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What is a strategic session

A strategic session, or strat session, is an important event where key employees and company management collaboratively develop business development plans and make decisions that can impact its future. These sessions are usually held at the beginning or end of the financial year, but can also be organized at any other time in response to sharp market changes.

Each strat session focuses on one key topic, which can range from sales planning to choosing a marketing strategy or finding ways to exit crisis situations. Unlike regular meetings, a strat session can last from several hours to several days and includes several stages for which participants prepare in advance. An important aspect is the openness of dialogue among all participants, which can be achieved through various methods such as business games and team-building elements.

Why strategic sessions are conducted

A strat session helps the team step out of the daily routine and focus on more global aspects of the business, synchronizing departmental tasks with the overall company strategy. During the session, participants collaboratively seek solutions to current problems, define long-term goals, and develop strategies to achieve them. The main objectives of conducting strategic sessions include:

  • Development of the company's, project's, or direction's growth strategy.
  • Determination of long-term priorities.
  • Creation of new products and business models.
  • Finding solutions to current problems, such as falling profits or increasing competition.
  • Establishing contact between management and specialists, which contributes to increasing employee engagement in the company's work.

Additionally, these sessions discuss ways to improve work on current projects and enhance employee efficiency.

Who participates in a strategic session

The composition of participants in a strategic session can vary depending on the goals and objectives of the event. Typically, participants include:

  • Top managers (first-level leaders);
  • Department heads (line managers);
  • Leading employees from various departments;
  • Industry experts;
  • Investors;
  • Clients.

Generally, the session is attended by owners and high-level executives, such as the president and vice president of the company, as well as general and commercial directors. They play a key role in determining the company's development vector, so all strategic decisions are discussed with them. Depending on the session topic, industry experts and clients may also be invited for feedback.

What a strategic session consists of

The structure of a strategic session depends on the goals, scale of the business, and participant composition, but in general, five key stages can be identified:

  • Introduction. The host announces the purpose and format of the session, creating an atmosphere of open communication.
  • Overview of the current situation. Participants immerse themselves in the context of the discussion, receiving analytics on the topic.
  • Brainstorming. Participants generate ideas, which are then selected for further development.
  • Presentation and discussion of proposals. The best ideas are discussed and refined during the discussion.
  • Summing up. The host formulates conclusions and agreed directions for development in the coming years.

If necessary, the main blocks can be repeated for a deeper discussion of each issue.

How to conduct a strategic session

Conducting a strategic session requires careful preparation. It is recommended to start the process a month before the scheduled date. The preparation stages include:

  • Defining the session's goal, which should include a specific expected outcome.
  • Selecting participants based on the scale of the issues being discussed.
  • Collecting and visualizing data to bring participants up to speed.
  • Developing a scenario that includes the sequence of stages and necessary tools.

During the session itself, it is important to establish rules, adhere to the agenda, and clearly articulate the decisions made. At the end of the event, feedback should be collected to assess its effectiveness. If the business is not ready to conduct such sessions independently, consulting companies can be approached for assistance.

Regular strat sessions are more relevant for large companies, while small and startup businesses are recommended to hold them more frequently, allowing for the discovery of new ideas and adaptation to market changes.