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Strategic & Business Planning

Transform strategy into results

Position your business for sustained success by focusing on the few things that matter most. 

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Meet your requirements, exceed expectations 

Many healthcare executives view the strategic planning process only as a necessary “evil.” Canton thinks differently. Strategic planning is the #1 tool in an executive’s arsenal – one that synthesizes all organizational domains – people, process, technology, and financial – into a unified roadmap for long-term success. 
Our clients have found success in strategic planning by adhering to the following principles:  

Make it pragmatic

Identify the top initiatives to make the greatest impact, fast 

Make it real

Embrace feedback and iterations for sustained growth opportunities 

Make it data-driven

Leverage contemporary, real-time, multi-sensory data 

Make it a practice

Establish a recurring model for sustainable, longitudinal success 

Closing the strategy-execution gap, the Canton Way

 

Incorporate strategy, operational, technological, people and financial performance to transform your strategic planning from a necessary evil into a powerful tool for achieving long-term success. 

Annual Planning Cycle

“In our experience, Canton has transcended the role of strategic planning facilitators and has really earned their place as a valued thought partner.” 

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Jonathan Lawrence

-President & CEO, Arnot Health

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Facing the Strategic Planning Paradox

You likely know the story – the paradox is that the most-used tool for developing and executing forward-looking strategy is largely, consistently ineffective.  We looked at the data, which has been consistent for some time, and asked why.  

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How does Canton approach strategic planning for healthcare leaders?

Canton views strategic planning not as a discrete, “check-box,” but instead as a critical component of an annual planning cycle, where we we introduce a strategic improvement system, infused with market, environmental and competitive insights to elevate enterprise-wide performance.

What does Canton deliver to its customers?

When we are engaged to support an organization’s strategic planning, Canton clients receive a roadmap for activation, and a team dedicated to ensuring commitment, rigor and success. Unlike firms that drop off a plan and walk away, we stay engaged throughout your journey, helping you accelerate around corners, avoid roadblocks, and find the fast lane whenever possible. 

What is considered when defining my organization’s strategic planning?

We always incorporate provocative environmental analysis, and market and competitive researchOur research not only level sets, but often uncovers new trends, opportunities, and adjacencies. Many of our clients leverage our scenario planning toolkit to engage leaders, board and stakeholders in active, realistic future states informed by real-world data. 

How does Canton ensure adoption of defined planning and tactics?

Many of our clients have complained about the “one and done” planning – “plan gets done, in a ‘black-box’, and gets put on the shelf”. Key initiatives focused on as goals, and adopted by the board, get assigned to responsible leader, actively monitored with an operating mechanism (a business rhythm that ensures the team is focused on them), with outcomes achievement becoming an integral part of the organization’s overall performance managementThe strategic plan becomes an operating plan! 

Connect with Canton to define your action plan