G105
ADVANCED
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING:
TRANSITIONING TO STRATEGIC PLANNER AND STRATEGIST

NOTE: The workshop content described below will be delivered through ZOOM ONLINE on two consecutive half-day sessions. Agendas and other relevant workshop documentation will be sent to you by the workshop instructor at least three days prior to the date of the first session.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The CEC’s workshop, Advanced Strategic Communications Planning: Transitioning to Strategic Planner and Strategist, has been designed for communications practitioners who either spend the majority of their time engaged in strategic communications planning, or who have previously completed the Centre’s workshop on Strategic Communications Planning: Critical Steps and Techniques. The CEC assumes that each learner taking the Advanced Workshop in Strategic Communications Planning will already understand the steps and processes necessary to build a comprehensive strategic communications plan.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

It is a given that professionals with strong strategic planning skills in communications are much more likely to succeed. Employers, whether in the public, private or voluntary sector, are always on the lookout to hire and advance individuals with strong strategic planning and strategic advisory skills. Professionals who have the range of strategic planning skills necessary to design, lead and facilitate organization-wide strategic communications planning processes and who can successfully deliver high-energy outcomes-based strategic communications are always in high demand.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The CEC’s workshop in Advanced Strategic Communications Planning will provide learners with the opportunity and knowledge necessary to elevate their strategic planning skills to a higher and more sophisticated level. This innovative workshop will significantly heighten learner’s knowledge about the strategic communications planning process, provide learners with more advanced strategic planning tools and methodologies and enable learners to confidently tackle complex corporate strategic communications planning assignments. Lastly, learners will understand the processes needed to guide internal and external colleagues, clients and stakeholders through detailed strategic communications planning processes.

Participants will acquire advanced strategic planning methodologies and learn how to confidently undertake the following:

• Based on client and stakeholder requirements determine and advise on the scope of the needed communications strategy;
• Design, lead and facilitate an organization-wide strategic communications planning process and learn to successfully execute the completed strategic plan;
• Review, refine and incorporate the organizational vision, mission, values and strategic outcomes into the strategic planning process and outcomes;
• Implement innovative situational and environmental scanning processes in order to assess and determine the range of critical communications issues that will be managed and/or resolved through the strategic plan;
• Decide on the strategic communications priorities and outcomes that will both anchor and drive the strategic plan;
• Enable colleagues to transition seamlessly from strategy to implementation;
• Secure high-level buy-in and commitment for the communications strategy and implementation plan; and
• Manage the strategic communications review process and secure lessons learned.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

• Notebook consisting of presentation slides
• Exercises and handouts

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Thinking Things Through: Innovating through analysis and ideas
• Excellence: Delivering results

Agenda
8:45 - 9:00	Introductions Participants will introduce themselves, describe their strategic planning experience and indicate their expectations for the workshop
9:00 - 9:45	Strategic Communications Planning Sequence Participants will review and discuss the traditional, non-traditional and participatory approaches to strategic communications planning Participants will understand how to resolve possible conflicts within participatory planning processes and the leader’s defined role and responsibility for strategy development and implementation Participants will determine where trust, credibility and reputation reside within the strategic planning process
9:45 - 10:30	Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Outcomes Participants will discuss the guiding role played by the organizational vision, mission, values and strategic outcomes in the strategic planning process Participants will learn about the processes necessary to refine the organizational vision, mission, values and strategic outcomes
10:30 - 10:45	HEALTH BREAK
10:45 - 11:30	Lead and Facilitate the Strategic Planning Process Participants will learn how to design and facilitate strategic communications planning processes including planning retreats Participants will discuss how to anticipate and manage conflicts during the planning process
11:30 - 12:15	Exercise Session on Audience and Stakeholder Analysis Participants will use a segmentation model to analyze specific clients, stakeholders and audiences
12:15 - 1:00	LUNCH
1:00 - 1:45	Implement Innovative Situational and Environmental Research Participants will learn to build the research and consultation plan, use scenario planning and define the parameters for the situational and environmental analysis Participants will discuss how to identify, define and prioritize critical and emerging communications issues that matter
1:45 - 2:30	Strategic Priorities, Outcomes and Performance Indicators Participants will discuss the processes required to identify the strategic communications priorities for the plan and identify the communications outcomes to be achieved with respect to each strategic priority including required performance indicators
2:30 - 2:45	HEALTH BREAK
2:45 - 3:15	Exercise Session on Leadership, Buy-in and Commitment Participants will strategize on how to secure leadership buy-in and commitment for a strategic communications plan Participants will review best practices for influence, persuasion and diplomacy in an organizational setting
3:15 - 4:00	Manage the Strategic Communications Plan Review Process Participants will learn how to manage the strategic communications plan review process in an iterative manner Participants will discuss how to ensure that the strategic communications plan becomes a living document and can take full advantage of lessons learned
4:00 - 4:15	CLOSE AND EVALUATION