Implement and evaluate strategic and operational business plans

This standard is about implementing and evaluating business plans. You put strategic and operational business plans into action by engaging and delegating work to colleagues, monitoring progress and adjusting plans, when necessary. You also evaluate the extent to which strategic and operational objectives have been achieved, learning lessons, celebrating success and recognising employees' contributions.

This standard is for all managers and leaders.

1. communicate your strategic business plan to colleagues and key stakeholders to engage their understanding and support
2. delegate responsibilities for achieving strategic objectives to individuals and gain their commitment to achieving them
3. evaluate risks to the achievement of strategic objectives and take action to mitigate risks
4. demonstrate your personal commitment by leading the achievement of key strategic objectives
5. review the strategic business plan at regular intervals, considering significant changes in the operating environment to ensure it can deliver the organisation's objectives within agreed timescales
6. communicate operational plans to gain the understanding and support of colleagues and key stakeholders
7. delegate responsibilities for achieving operational objectives to individuals and gain their commitment to achieving them
8. provide the resources required to achieve the objectives in your strategic and operational plans
9. hold employees to account for the achievement of the strategic and operational objectives delegated to them
10. use agreed methods and measures to monitor implementation of your business plans
11. provide advice, guidance and support towards achieving strategic and operational objectives, when required
12. apply indicators and methods for monitoring progress against your business plans at agreed intervals
13. evaluate variances from your business plans and the reasons for significant variances
14. ask colleagues to explain variances and propose action to address significant variances
15. adjust your business plans or the deployment of employees and resources to take account of significant variances, availability of employees and resources, or changes in your organisation's operating environment
16. inform colleagues of adjustments to your plans and help them make changes to their own plans
17. evaluate the implementation of your business plans to make recommendations that identify good practice and areas for improvement
18. evaluate and agree with colleagues and key stakeholders the extent to which the objectives in your strategic and operational business plans have been achieved
19. celebrate the achievement of strategic and operational objectives and recognise the contributions of those involved
20. analyse the reasons for any shortfalls in the achievement of strategic and operational objectives to inform the development and implementation of future business plans
21. follow the legal, organisational, codes of practice and policies relevant to implementing and evaluating business plans

General knowledge and understanding

1.      the principles and methods of strategic, operational management and business planning

2.      how to consult with colleagues and other stakeholders

3.      the importance of communicating business plans to employees and how to check their understanding of what is required

4.      the principles and methods of delegation

5.      how to hold employees to account for the achievement of objectives

6.      how to assess and manage risk

7.      the importance of demonstrating your personal commitment to business plans and how to do so

8.      how to use resources effectively to achieve objectives

9.      how to further develop and adjust the plan in the light of variances, including redeployment of employees and resources to implement the plan

10.   how to monitor and review implementation of and performance against strategic and operational plans

11.   the indicators and methods for measuring progress against plan and evaluating the implementation of plans

12.   how to evaluate the implementation of business plans to identify and share the lessons learned

Industry and sector specific knowledge and understanding

13.   the trends and developments in your industry and sector at local, national and international levels

14.   the legal, organisational, codes of practice and policies relevant to implementing and evaluating business plans

Context specific knowledge and understanding

15.   your organisation's vision, structure, strategy, culture, key stakeholders, communication and business processes

16.   the customer feedback, financial and other management information that informs business planning in your organisation

17.   the employees and resources available to achieve your organisation's strategic objectives

18.   the trends and developments in your organisation's operating environment

19.   the threats to achieving your organisation's vision and strategy

20.   the ways of celebrating the achievement of your organisation's strategic objectives

21.   the sources of information you can use to monitor and evaluate plans and the procedures for reporting and making recommendations

1. Analysing
2. Communicating
3. Communicating
4. Consulting
5. Delegating
6. Evaluating
7. Influencing
8. Innovating
9. Involving colleagues
10. Leadership
11. Leading by example
12. Monitoring
13. Networking
14. Persuading
15. Planning
16. Presenting information
17. Prioritising
18. Problem solving
19. Providing feedback
20. Reflecting
21. Reviewing
22. Risk management
23. Setting objectives
24. Thinking strategically