7b - Tactical Planning

7b - Tactical Planning
TACTICAL PLANNING
Tactical planning is done for setting short term goals and action plan in order to achieve the long-term
goals already set in the strategic plan. The horizon of tactical planning is hence shorter than the strategic
planning. Tactical planning is not usually done by the top-level managers/leaders in an organization – this
is the prerogative of middle (departmental level) managers in an organization.
Tactical Planning vs Strategic Planning
Business dictionary differentiated strategic and tactical planning in this manner.
Strategic planning is a “systematic process of envisioning a desired future, and translating this vision into
broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them.”
Tactical planning is “a systematic determination and scheduling of the immediate or short-term activities
required in achieving the objectives of strategic planning.”
Strategic planning is figuring out what you want the future to look like, and breaking that into goals.
Tactical planning is breaking up those goals into workable tasks that we can start scheduling into our task
management system and calendar. In tactical planning, strategic goals are separately analyzed and
specific plan is developed how to achieve each goal.
Strategic planning lays out the long-term, broad goals that an organization wants to achieve.
Tactical planning outlines the short-term steps and actions that should be taken to achieve the goals
described in the strategic plan.
Tactical planning occurs after the strategic plan is outlined.
What is a tactical plan?
Tactical plan describes the actions that mid-level managers plan to adopt thus achieve the objectives set
in the strategic plan. A tactical plan spans a short time frame (usually less than 3 years) and is usually
developed by middle level managers – the heads of each department composing the organization. It
details specific means (action plans) to implement the strategic plan that are already set for the whole
organization. It requires detailing resource and work allocation among the sub-units within each
department of the organization.
In public safety (or police) organizations, such as the PNP and BJMP, tactical plans are established
procedures for coping with specific situations at known locations. Examples of plans in this category are:
 defense plan (plan required in dealing with attacks against police

station/headquarters/facilities)
 emergency plan (procedures needed during civil unrest, protest rally, jail break/riot, etc.)
 plans for special community events that involve large crowd (parade, motorcade, religious
celebration, carnival)
How is tactical plan compared to strategic plan?

Characteristics of a Tactical Plan:
 Short-term: 1-2 years

 Narrow and focused goals
 How you are going to reach the strategic plan goals
 These can be changed quickly
Characteristics of a Strategic Plan:
 Long-Term – 3-5 years out

 Broad Goals
 The why behind your work
 More stable and don’t change much
The strategic plan provides the general idea of how to reach a goal, and the tactical plan is where you lay
out the steps to achieve that goal. Since the objectives set in the strategic plan are more general and
evaluated over a longer period of time, strategic planning typically occurs at the beginning of a year,
quarter, or month. Strategic plans should be reviewed every quarter at least. Tactical plans can be
reexamined on a more frequent basis (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) if need be.
A tactical plan outlines the necessary steps required to fulfill the goal set in the strategic plan. It consists
of short-term steps and actions designed to help the organization achieve a long-term goal. A tactical plan
maybe revised according to events that occur in the organization, in its environment, or according to the
changes in the needs of the clientele.
What are the key elements of a tactical plan?
The key elements of a tactical plan include the following:
 Vision & mission of the organization

 Objectives
 Action items
 Key performance indicators (KPIs)
 Resources
 Responsible personnel
 Timeline
 Flexibility
These components determine the success of a tactical plan in many ways. When the organization pay
attention to all aspects of the tactical plan, they increase the likelihood for accomplishing their strategic
plan.
How to create a tactical plan
In most business companies, the following steps are followed in creating a tactical plan.
1. Pay attention to the vision: Because tactical plans are based on strategic business plans, it
is important for employees to understand the company’s overall vision or goal. Once they
acknowledge the larger goal and how their role contributes to accomplishing this goal, they’re
more likely to work harder. They may even contribute new ideas to the plan that save the
company time and money.
2. Create objectives and goals: Strategic plans are founded on measurable, viable objectives.
Objectives that are more complex may require more time, money and resources. Consider
your team’s current workload and level of productivity, then prioritize your objectives based
on what your company needs most. Here are some examples:
> Produce 10 original video ads per week.
> Get 25 people to leave honest reviews on our website.
> Increase new car sales by 20%.
These goals may change depending on the results of the team’s initial efforts and other factors.
3. Assign actions to objectives: To assist employees in achieving specific objectives, it is

wise to assign certain actions to each objective. Action items that are easy to follow eliminate
the risk of confusion. For example, if your objective is to get 25 people to leave honest
feedback on your website, you’ll need to take steps to make it happen. You may begin by
creating a paid survey opportunity that motivates people to take action or send out an email
to customers who purchased items, asking them to leave feedback.
4. Determine KPIs: Key performance indicators help employees know if they’re making
progress with their objectives. You may evaluate them weekly or quarterly to determine the
success of your team’s efforts. The KPIs you set depend on your industry and business
model. Only choose KPIs that directly support your objectives, otherwise, the information is
irrelevant to your goals. Examples of KPIs include the following:
> Profit
> Cost of good sold
> Sales by region
> Customer satisfaction score
> Quality assurance
5. Use tools and resources: For your team to achieve the set goals, they must have access to
the right tools and resources. As you are creating your plan, make note of what you need and
deliver these items as soon as possible. Your team may need access to specific software
and online platforms. They may also need training to help them understand the concept of
your plan better.
6. Delegate work to specific people: Teams follow through with objectives better when they
know exactly who is responsible for specific tasks. As you are creating your tactical plan,
delegate work to the people who are the most qualified. There may be many people involved
with an objective. No matter the number, what’s important is being clear about the
responsibilities each person has.
7. Allow for flexibility: Despite your best efforts to create a tactical plan, there are always
variables that have the potential to slow down your team’s progress. That’s why it’s helpful to
build flexibility into your plan. Think of this as a backup plan that allows for more time or
changes to your methods.
When creating tactical plans, remember to do what works best for your individual business needs. Every
company has a unique story with different goals, employees and resources. What works for one business
may not work as well for another.

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7b - Tactical Planning

Tactical Planning vs Strategic Planning

Business dictionary differentiated strategic and tactical planning in this manner.

Tactical planning occurs after the strategic plan is outlined.

What is a tactical plan?

 defense plan (plan required in dealing with attacks against police

How is tactical plan compared to strategic plan?

 Short-term: 1-2 years

Characteristics of a Strategic Plan:

 Long-Term – 3-5 years out

What are the key elements of a tactical plan?

The key elements of a tactical plan include the following:

 Vision & mission of the organization

How to create a tactical plan

3. Assign actions to objectives: To assist employees in achieving specific objectives, it is

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