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Education
our work with educators

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Create Shared Vision

Address Deep Issues

Catalyze New Ideas

Develop Clear Plans

Build Consensus

Launch Action

Generate Team Spirit

ToP Strategic Planning is recognized worldwide by thousands of organizations. It systematically and quickly addresses key issues and results in a focused plan. You get innovative strategies and people leave the planning sessions ready to implement the action plans. Our process contains 4 basic steps.

• Practical Vision – creating a shared vision for the group's future
• Underlying Obstacles – identifying underlying issues blocking accomplishment
• Strategic Directions – focusing ideas for new directions
• Action Plan – developing a specific, practical plan of action.

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Underlying Obstacles

The next step is to discover the Underlying Obstacles - the things getting in the way of realizing the vision - the block or logjam - the underlying contradictions. T.S. Eliot said, "Between the idea and the action falls the shadow."

Obstacles are sociological realities like structures, policies and operating patterns that say "no" to the vision. An obstacle is not "a lack of" something. A 'lack of money' is not a contradiction, while 'wasteful spending priorities' might be.

Discerning the underlying obstacles shows the doorway to the future. Although an obstacle can be the source of great pain for many people, an obstacle is not negative. When people come to terms with the real barriers they face, they can use them to leverage an organization into the future and open the way to creative strategies.