What is Strategic Planning?
In this two-part series, Shelley Bridgman and Vjeruska Koscina explore the world of Strategic Planning. Here is the full transcript below.
Shelley Bridgman (SB): Hello, I'm Shelley Bridgman. I'm responsible for International Outreach with Origin Leadership Consulting. And I'm delighted to say I have with me today, Vjeruska Koscina, who is the chief strategist for Origin. And I have to start today by asking you via Rosca to just give us the background to your name, because I think it will give us a real insight into who you are and the work that you do with origin.
Vjeruska Koscina (VK): Thank you, Shelley. I'm glad to be here with you. I'm glad to have this conversation. Well, yeah, my name say many things about myself, actually, because my name is Croatian, I have a Croatian black background. But I am originally from Chile. My grandfather, came to Chile 100 years ago, more than 100 years ago, and my father grew up in Chile, my mother grew up in Chile, and I grew up in Chile. But I always, I always have a very open mind about that. This wall is very big. So I always like, like to think in, I was always curious about what is outside how is traveling, and I have the lakhs to live in different countries. I live in Australia, now I'm living in Canada and I have been working also in different countries because of my job as a consultant.
SB: And so you have a really big canvas there with your experience for where you've lived. So you really are a woman of the world. So what drew you to working with origin? What was it about origin and origins objectives that attracted you?
VK: Sure, um, all you did for me was to find a place with common values, find a place that we can make a really impact in that society? With what I know. Okay, I consider myself very good in my job, actually, I think I have a lot of experience, doing business strategy, strategic planning, market research. I always feel that I need to do something else. And I think that with origin I can do, because I can do exactly that market research, strategic planning business case. And also, I know that with all that job, the company that I'm supporting, is going to make a social impact. And this is really rewarding.
SB: So the values of the organization I'm hearing are really important for you. Yes, yes,
VK: In general, for all the organization and have been working, of course, you need to have similar values to be there, I have been working with other consultant companies for many years. And also, I feel that I share the values of all the organization that I have been working, but with origin, I feel a special connection because they really think that we are doing something special and we are doing something that no other day the will really need. They will really need companies with social in fact, companies more responsible with the society with environment. Being in this being involved in in this environment. For me, it's very important now.
SB: I hear that loud and clear. And I think largely you echo why I'm with origin as well. But anyway, it's not about me today. It's about you. So before I ask you about the work that you actually do with origin, Could you perhaps for people who may not be so clear, define what a strategy means to you?
VK: Sure. Ah, yeah. is a word that we are using all the time you know, and with declining consultant, we are all the time talking about how to be strategic and how to have a vision for me the strategy is the capability to look the forest, you know, to go out of the forest and look the forest from from a perspective, okay? And see what you really want to do how you really in what do you want to do your company in your life, you know, the companies are not so different than the people you know, every company has values have a character personality interest. So, is this thing that we are doing as a person, and that you are doing also chilling the coachee for example, is try to help the people in my case, try to help organization a realizing what they really want to do. Why is that important? And then to think together how to do it. Because as I always say, to my client, maybe even if I am the most specialist in strategy, any way, the client are the person that know better, their business, everything is a co creation, everything we need to think together. For me, my job is more like, facilitate that process for companies.
SB: And I know you have a reputation for really helping organizations to really get under the skin of what's happening rather than being superficial and just doing an easy job on it. So could you perhaps either, well, I'm gonna put you on the spot a bit and ask you what you do the set you apart, do you think, from other people, because you have a fairly unique way of working? And we can couple out with it, while you're answering that maybe you could sort of think about an example you could give without giving away an organization's name. But so, so people who are not familiar could understand it a bit more. Is that okay?
VK: Sure. Let me have it but it's okay. Yeah, it's okay. And actually, it's a very good question, because sometimes examples help the people to understand better what really we are doing in our region and in general in my job as a consultant. So I will, I will say about a case that I had not too long time ago, okay, but this happened really come you know, it's something that is very common that sometime they organization they come, I always say that most of the time I claim come with a symptom. Okay? So it's like when you're going to the doctor, you know that something is grown, but you don't know what you have. Okay. So, in that case, in consultant is the same, the organization can because they, they feel that they miss something, or they need help with they are not having the right focus, or maybe they feel that they are not doing in the most efficiency way. For some reason, they feel that they can do better there. But they don't know how.
SB: So is it then using your analogy? Do you find it often you have to start by kind of almost doing a diagnosis for them? of actually what what is wrong? Right. Okay. Yes, actually,
VK: Most of the time, my job start with a diagnostic. Right. Okay, sometimes that diagnostic, it could be like part of the project, part of a delivery delivery that we do to the client like a report, but sometime and now sometimes it's part of the conversation that you have with the client, because you really need to understand what the client needs. And that's happening all the business. So sometimes I have a diagnostic that is more formal, sometimes is just the first part of the conversation we when we are maybe trying to figure out what is the project that the client need or want. But it's always in one moment, I do a diagnostic, you know, to to know, okay, what is the act, the current status? Who they are now? Because if you don't know who you are now, where you are now, how you will see where where to go?
SB: Okay. Are your clients sometimes surprised by what you come up with? When you do a diagnostic? Are they usually very receptive to what you have to say?
VK: Yes, I have to say that I'm always always part of the diagnostic is something that the client already know. Yeah, yeah. But most of the cases, also, the client can see some things now, sometimes, probably, it's difficult to see the, in the, the competence inside, when he's missing something, you know. So in that case, my role, I believe my role is, talk with them fly, I see because also is my point of view to, or the point of view of the group of consult, and not just me, in general, I work in group, I'm not the only one. The important thing is, in the end of this diagnostic, to check what the client knew, maybe, okay, what we discovered together, okay, and get an agreement on all of that, what is the most important thing, what is the essential thing that we need to know, in order to plan in the future, because in then this is the point is not get a is not just to see, this is good, and this is bad? You know, sometimes companies say or are afraid of consultant because they say, Oh, it's too easy to come and see if this is good. And this is bad. And actually, this is not what we are doing as a console, you know, is just to know what we have.
SB: And it sounds crucial. If you don't get this bit right, then of course, the strategy becomes meaningless, really. And if you're not working on the right issue, or you haven't agreed what the problem is, you can't address it. So talk us through if you would a strategy, if it's possible to do that. Maybe I don't know if there's an example of one that you've done. And I know we have to respect confidentiality. So I'm aware of that. But I think it would be really helpful for people to understand perhaps a framework or, or an example of what you may have done.
VK: Yeah, what I always I like to customize always the project. So for me, there are not the same project, every project is different. Even if it's a project for strategic planning in different companies, every project is different. I have different frameworks. For the strategic planning. Okay, there are many, I mean, there are many books in the academic, many resources methodologies that you can use. But for me, the most important of all of the frameworks, and the methodologies is that in the end, it need to be a participative process. When I start to work as a consultant, like 10 years ago, sometimes those process of strategic planning were very, how to say not really participating with the client, like the consultant taking a bunch of information for the company, have some meeting with the just the CEO, the director, the board member, and then they decide the strategy for the company. Now I have to say that it's important that participation and co creation with everybody, so I'm trying to planning sessions to work with the client, like in the higher level with the CEO, the directors, but also for me in the last year. It has been it's Sam's job to also work with everybody in the company with a project manager. Yeah, with the sales people with everybody that is involved in the business with everybody that is involved with their clients also.
SB: So I think what I'm hearing, and please tell me if I've got this right, is, it's not so much about a typical we do ABCD, you know, as a simple process. But you really, every time you're working with an organization, you're creating a unique strategy, would that be right? So you don't have a simple process. But you're really looking at it with the client, with a view to getting it right at the end, as so there's no easy, no easy answer to it, but you get in the end. So the diagnostic process clearly vital. And then you between you it's a collaborative process. Is that right?
VK: Yeah, completely. Is that right? So maybe the big steps are the same, you know, that is the diagnostic. The is the analysis, a process to brainstorming, and then get the ideas in a plan in a roadmap and make a plan for implementation? Maybe those are like the big big steps, but inside of every of that step, for every company, the process, and the journey, it could be very different. Yeah. So I add up all the process activities that we are doing for do the diagnostic the activities that we are doing for for identified the drivers for a see what are the main goals, what we will be the mission, the vision, all that activities will be different for every company, because every company needs different things. For example, there are some companies that are smaller than the others.
SB: Yeah, I was gonna ask you that about size. Is there any sort of minimum or maximum? Or?
VK: Yeah, no, no, it's not about minimum or maximum. This is important thing, why we are draft the process for every company because actually, well, if we have a company that have small size, because there are small size, I mean of people because maybe have bigger revenue, but yes, or no person. Okay? It's very different from the process that you need to do with a company that may be half the same profit, but they are 100 people. Okay. So you have to you have to do any strategic planning in any case, is only that, probably the process when you are involving more people, maybe it's going to be longer, because you need more iteration, you need more discussion, because you need to be sure that you are taking the point of view of everybody is, listen, sometimes for a consultant is more important to listen than talk.
SB: Well, I think I mean, I thought I knew about what you did, but I've learned something today as well. So nobody really should be put off from at least talking to you or talking to origin. If they think they may be too big or too small. It sounds as though that's not the real question. Yeah, it's the real question is about, you know, what are they stuck with? And they should talk at least to find out how you could help and is what I'm hearing. What I've loved listening to you, as I'm aware, we haven't got an awful lot longer I could talk to you all day. Is I love your passion for what you do. I can hear it. I think people can see it if they're if they're looking at you. What's your vision that's I'm putting you on the spot but what do you we change that you know and partly why you're with origin of courses? So
VK: what I I think that I just surely um, I have been traveling a lot knowing different business different people. And in then what This is actually something that is now because you never know that people are changing mine, you know, but for now, for me, it's very important to do something that I feel that I am making a contribution contribution in this society, I think that I have been a lucky person. You know, I have had many opportunities in my life, for study for traveling for notes, important and good people that have teach me many things. So I think it's not that I feel that I know a lot of things. But I just want to feel that I am giving some impact for others to okay, you know, so if we my job, if, for me, it's important that to feel that my job is helping to do this work better work, you know?
SB: Well, I know you're already making a difference. And long may continue. And I'm sure there are a lot of questions that may have come up, but you've given us a really good flavor. I think of how dedicated and committed you are to helping resolve a problem. So I'm glad you didn't allow me to stay you down a nice easy template for how you do a strategy, because there really isn't one from what I'm hearing. You really develop it each time. So for Rusco any last thoughts? Before we end this conversation? What's next for you?
VK: Um, no, to be honest, I feel pretty good. I was nervous. Especially you know, because my English is not my first language. No, I feel very good. Thank you for the opportunity. Celli. Thank you for the questions. And thank you for Be yourself.
SB: It's been a pleasure. And if people want to contact you, they can do it through the origin website. Sure. Sure. Felicia, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much.
VK: It's a pleasure for me, Shelley, thank you for everything. You made me feel very comfortable.