A Collaborative Priority-Setting Process

Opportunity Mapping

From a shared picture of the future, to an honest look at today, to a clear set of agreed priorities.

A facilitated process that moves a leadership team from a shared picture of the future it wants, to an honest look at where it stands today, to a clear, agreed set of priorities, with every participant a genuine author of the result.

How the Process Works

Seven facilitated steps, one aligned team

Through a carefully sequenced set of exercises, the group builds a common picture of success and agrees where its attention will do the most good.

1
Your desired outcome. The group debates, determines, and agrees to a specific description of the organization’s Optimal Future State within a specified timeframe.
2
Current reality. Participants then collaboratively examine and agree upon the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and its beliefs and values particularly as they relate to their realizing that Optimal Future State.
3
Emerging environment. The group agrees the potential threats and opportunities, internal and external, that may enable and/or serve as barriers to the organization realizing that Optimal Future State over the chosen timeframe.
4
Ideal characteristics. Projecting forward to that future date, participants identify the characteristics of the new, high-performing organization, across strategy, marketing, relationships, communication, and the systems that support them, until everyone shares and agrees to one itemized list of the conditions and characteristics that would need to exist in that Optimal Future State.
5
Paired weighting. Using a collaborative voting process, the characteristics are rank-ordered by their relative importance, again as they relate to the organization evolving into that Optimal Future State.
6
Current performance. Returning to the present, the group then evaluates and again agrees to how well each characteristic is performed today, ensuring all points of view are heard.
7
The Opportunity Map. Combining the two evaluations, relative importance and current performance, an Opportunity Map is produced and refined, giving the group an immediate, shared understanding of where to focus.
The Opportunity Map

Where attention yields the most

Each characteristic is plotted by its importance and how well it is performed today, sorting every one into a clear zone of action.

The Opportunity Map: importance plotted against current performance
Importance (vertical) plotted against current performance (horizontal).
From map to action. Once the two to four most important Opportunities are identified, Task Forces are assigned to brainstorm and prescribe the specific actions to address them. The session concludes with each Task Force presenting its initial Action Plan and the governance activities required to manage and advance these initiatives.
What the Process Delivers

Outcomes participants carry forward

  • A strong sense of authorship of, and therefore commitment to, the renewed vision and priorities.
  • An aligned leadership equipped to lead the organization as a unified, committed team.
  • A clear statement of vision and strategic direction, ready to communicate throughout the organization.
  • Action Plans with clearly defined responsibilities and timelines.
  • Higher levels of productivity and teamwork with energy focused on what most improves performance.
  • More productive use of time and energy together and new levels of personal commitment and fulfillment.
Reinforcement & Support

Following the core workshop, we continue to meet with members of both the leadership group and the Task Forces, ensuring that the measures agreed are successfully implemented.

Opportunity Mapping turns a leadership team’s own insight into an agreed set of priorities, and the shared commitment to deliver them.

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SGA Inc. · CSuite.com  |  Turning insight into agreed priorities
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