Strategic visioning followed by strategic planning occurs in the context of the purpose and values of an organization. It is a way for leadership of an organization to make sense of the current business environment in which they operate and then set the short and long term direction and goals. The strategy must be clearly defined so that members of the organization understand their role and align their decisions and actions to the achievement of the desired results. The strategy needs to balance short and long term demands and the needs of the stakeholders (customers, employees, and owners).

In order to have sustainable profitable growth, a strong focus on the future and willingness to be innovative should be part of strategic process. That is why strategic visioning is a key component in the process. Innovation provides an effective response to customers, the increasingly global marketplace, technological developments, complex government regulations, employees, suppliers, and competitive pressure. Innovation also allows the leadership to aspire towards a more meaningful purpose and vision for the organization. With a focus on the future and innovation, Hinrichs Consulting’s strength based strategic planning approach includes SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results)¹ instead of the traditional SWOT.