Training · Strategy development
Strategy training: a course in agile strategy development and implementation
initio's strategy training is an in-house course for existing groups and teams. Over one to two days, your team learns about traditional and agile strategy models, applies them to its own strategy work and practises implementing and adjusting strategies using agile methods. We charge a fixed price per course, regardless of participant numbers. If required, we can train your own strategy specialists through a train-the-trainer programme.
At a glance
Format
In-house training for your existing group, at your premises or online
Duration
One day, a day and a half or two days, depending on the package
Price
A fixed price from €2,500 per training course, regardless of the number of participants
For comparison
Open strategy courses charge per person, usually €1,600 to €3,800 per place. A fixed-price package can therefore pay for itself with as few as two or three participants.
Date
By arrangement
Certificate
Certificate of attendance with a summary of the course content
From our strategy projects and training courses
Arrange a free initial consultation → We will get back to you.
This is What the Strategy Methods Training is About
In our strategy training you will learn
- the different definitions and nuanced meanings of the term "strategy"
- what kind of answers the different strategy models provide
- where each model has its particular strengths
- how and by what criteria to select and apply the different strategy methods
- how and where the individual models can be placed on a "strategy map"
- how to use these models as a method
- an integrated strategy approach that brings together all the common strategy models
- strategy work from a systemic point of view
- what agile strategy development looks like – and what that implies for the overall process, for corporate culture and for leadership
- which agile methods work best for implementing strategy
- how it differs from mission statements
- the value of the design thinking approach in strategy processes
The initio strategy training explores these topics:
Here is a comprehensive list of the questions covered in the initio strategy training. (Depending on your needs we can add further aspects or leave out less relevant ones – we always train to fit.)
Strategy models
- Which strategy models are there?
- Which strategy approaches serve which purpose?
- How do you apply each of the strategy models?
- Which methods follow from the strategy models?
- Where does each model have its strengths – and its weaknesses?
- How do the individual models relate to each other, where do they overlap, which ones complement each other?
Strategy development and strategy processes
- How do I set up and run strategy processes in my organisation?
- How do you steer strategy processes?
- Is there an all-in-one strategy approach that combines all the models with their strengths – and what does this integrated approach look like, and how can it be used?
- Which approaches to strategy development do justice to the VUCA world?
Agile strategy development
- What does an agile strategy process look like in practice?
- How do you implement strategies in agile mode?
- What kind of operating system do you need for agile strategy work?
- How can an agile strategy approach be implemented in a traditional hierarchical organisation? Which models are there for this, and what needs to be considered?
OKR (Objectives and Key Results) in strategy development and implementation
- How does the OKR approach (Objectives and Key Results) work?
- How can OKRs be used in strategy development and implementation?
- What do you do when the organisation as a whole does not use OKRs, but the approach would be more than useful in parts of it?
Mission statements and strategy
- Placing mission statement development: how it relates to and differs from strategy processes
- Deriving sub-strategies and overarching objectives from mission statements
- Which strategy approach is the right one for my organisation / my company / my division / my project?
- How can I run strategy processes so that they fit the requirements in our company exactly?
Design thinking in strategy processes
- What is the connection between design thinking and strategy topics?
- How can the design thinking approach be used in strategy development and implementation?
"Train the Trainer" Agile Strategy Development
If you would like to focus the training on the topic of "agile strategy development", you can add the following content to the main topic of "agility":
- What is "agile strategy development"?
- How do you implement agile strategy processes ?
- Best practices for agile strategy implementation and further development
- the OKR strategy approach: basic principles, OKR for advanced users, stumbling blocks
- Implications of agile strategy processes for overall strategy, organisational and leadership culture
Three packages: strategy training at a fixed price
Our strategy training is available in three standard packages: one day, a day and a half or two days. One price per course, rather than per person: We deliver all packages in-house for your existing group, at a fixed price regardless of participant numbers.
The starting price covers preparation, delivery (online or at your premises), training materials and a certificate of attendance. The price only increases if you extend the content, for example with additional modules or further train-the-trainer sessions, or if travel costs apply.
Clarity about the current state of your strategy work, with a recommendation on whether training is sufficient or support with the process would be useful.
- For leadership teams that want to review their strategy work
- Explaining vision, mission, mission statement and strategy · common strategy models from the Mintzberg bridge to the Business Model Canvas
- The integrated strategy model and typical pitfalls
Participants should then be able to plan and manage strategy processes independently.
- For strategy teams, corporate development and internal consultants
- Everything in Package 1 plus the integrated strategy process: the 4 basic steps, analysis of conditions and requirements, strategic objectives and the objective pyramid
- Participation through combined top-down and bottom-up planning, plus project and resource planning, using case studies throughout
Your team can implement and adjust strategy using an agile approach; people within your organisation are trained to pass on the learning.
- For organisations that want to manage their own strategy over the long term and implement it using an agile approach
- Everything in Package 2 plus OKR training: architecture, formulation, cycles, KPI vs. OKR and the OKR Master role
- Agile strategy development with the "Agile Fabrik" (Agile Factory) exercise · optional Design Thinking or mission statement module · train-the-trainer option
You do not need to choose between the three options before speaking to us. Exploring your needs is part of our service, and we do not charge for it.
Sample agenda: how the strategy development course is structured
The first day gives an overview of strategy models, ending with the integrated strategy model. The day-and-a-half package also covers the integrated strategy process; the 2-day package adds implementation with OKR and agile methods.
Day 1 (all packages): How vision, mission, mission statement, values and strategy relate to one another · widely used strategy models: Mintzberg's Strategy Bridge, SWOT analysis and the SWOT strategy matrix, Strategy Safari, the resource-based approach, Porter's competitive strategy, the Magic Pentagon, Strategy Map, Business Model Canvas · the integrated strategy model · common pitfalls
Morning of the second day (from package 2): The integrated strategy process: the 4 basic steps · stakeholder management and strategic success factors · analysing external conditions (technology, legislation, the labour market, megatrends) and internal requirements · from analysis to strategic objectives: the objectives pyramid · participation through a combined top-down and bottom-up approach · project and resource planning
Afternoon of the second day (package 3): Implementing strategy with OKR: structure, writing objectives and key results, cycles (3–6 months), lagging vs leading indicators, KPI vs OKR vs MBO, confidence level, the OKR Master's role, pitfalls at Google · agile strategy development with the "Agile Factory" exercise · optional: design thinking in the strategy process or strategy and mission statement
This agenda is an example. We adapt the structure and priorities to your strategy work. For more detail before the training: Methods and models of strategy development.
Didactic approach
Our strategy training courses are interactive, lively and discussion-led – like all our training.
Concise input
Discussion & enrichment
Transfer
Placing it within models you already know and use
Strategy training "in-house", virtually and online
We conduct our strategy training "in-house" or as online training for existing groups and teams.
Length and cost of our strategy trainings
Our strategy training is always tailored to each client's specific needs, starting position, objectives and circumstances. The format is based on our three standard packages of one day, a day and a half or two days, at a fixed price from € 2,500, € 3,500 or € 4,000 respectively, regardless of participant numbers. We discuss any further requirements during the free initial consultation.
Typical scenarios
Clients have booked our strategy trainings when they want to
- wanted to run strategy processes themselves and first wanted to train themselves
- wanted to develop their own strategy in their company and do a lot of it themselves (many then booked additional strategy coaching alongside the actual strategy process)
- head up corporate development and plan strategy processes
- in-house consulting teams who want to extend their own strategy toolkit and needed a practical transfer into their own corporate context
Case studies from our strategy training
Drawing on more than 21 years of experience in strategy processes: four examples of how clients have used our training and strategy workshops.
Still: a strategy workshop with senior management
A forklift manufacturer was in the middle of a merger and needed to agree on its strategic priorities.
Strategy workshop with senior management: developing strategic options, setting priorities and testing them against scenarios.
Strategic priorities for the merger, prioritised options and credible scenarios.
BASF: strategy and team development in procurement
A procurement department wanted to clarify its annual programme and reorganise how its people worked together.
Strategy and team development with the department's management and staff: prioritising projects using the "Project Canvas" method and agreeing rules for working together.
A prioritised annual programme and agreed rules for working together.
An internal consulting team at a corporate group: train the trainer
An internal consulting team wanted to incorporate transformation and change management methods into its own consulting work.
A train-the-trainer programme for 15 internal consultants, delivered as an interactive off-site training course.
The team incorporated the methods into its existing core consulting approach.
Bosch: training for newly assigned internal roles
A household appliance manufacturer reassigned roles internally; the teams lacked the skills and knowledge they needed for these roles.
Targeted training to develop skills and knowledge, tailored to the new roles.
The teams took on their new roles equipped with the appropriate methods.
You can find further projects on our client references page, filtered by strategy development.
Benefits of our strategy training / why you should attend:
Target group of our strategy training
- Managers who deal with strategy topics
- Members of project groups that plan strategy processes and are responsible for them
- Internal consultants who plan and lead strategy processes
- Members of strategy teams
- Staff in organisational or corporate development departments
- … everyone who deals with strategy topics in companies, associations or other organisations
Our strategy training will enable you to achieve the following:
- plan strategy processes independently
- assess strategy methods and apply them yourself
- select and apply the strategy approach or strategy method that fits your project
- use an integrated strategy model that brings together all the other strategic approaches
- apply the agile framework within strategy processes
- run strategy planning and implementation in agile mode
- get to know and use the OKR method (Objectives and Key Results)
- steer and shape strategy processes and adapt them to existing conditions
In short: afterwards you can speak with authority as an expert on all the common questions around strategy processes – and you can plan and steer strategy processes independently.
What our clients say
What clients say about working with us
A very helpful, well-run workshop. The results served us well through the restructuring phase too.
The strategy workshop was exceptionally productive. You kept the group focused on what mattered throughout. We recommend your facilitation without reservation.
It was striking how much came out of our workshop. That was outstanding.
We received very positive feedback on your training. Thank you for that.
You prepared our workshop thoroughly and precisely. Both the method and the facilitation fitted our objectives very well. We were able to carry on working very successfully with the results. Many thanks.
Thanks again for the excellent workshop — we have already started putting the first ideas into practice, and enjoying it.
Many thanks for a genuinely helpful seminar.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with you, personally and professionally, and it was a great pleasure to run this workshop with you.
You facilitated our two-day strategy workshop very professionally. It was a demanding brief and the result is very good. Thank you for that.
A big thank you for facilitating the workshop. We came out of the day as a team, with a good sense of togetherness and a clearer picture of the way ahead. The workshop was well worth it.
Thanks again for the excellent workshop — we are very happy with the outcome.
That was a really great workshop, thank you.
Your trainer
Florian Grolman
A specialist in culture change, strategy processes and change management. His core work covers strategy and implementation, developing management teams and large-group events. For over two decades, he has supported strategy processes in businesses, public sector organisations and non-profits, and developed the skills of internal strategy teams through training and coaching.
Contact him directly: +49 (0)30 577 017 900
View Florian Grolman's profile →FAQ
Frequently asked questions about strategy training and professional development
How much does strategy training cost?
Strategy training with initio starts at €2,500 for one day, €3,500 for a day and a half and €4,000 for two days. Each price is a fixed price per course, rather than per person. The price stays the same however many people from your group attend. Open courses charge per place, so the fixed price can quickly be more economical for an existing group.
How long does strategy training take?
Strategy training lasts one day, a day and a half or two days, depending on the package. The one-day course gives an overview of strategy models; the longer packages also cover the integrated strategy process and implementation with OKR.
Who is the strategy course for?
The training is for managers, strategy teams, corporate development teams and internal consultants: anyone who wants to plan and manage strategy processes within their organisation. We provide in-house training exclusively for existing groups and teams, rather than open groups with individual registration.
Can the training take place at our premises or online?
Both are possible: we can come to you, wherever your team works, or run the training online. We agree the date with you; there are no fixed course dates.
How many people can attend?
Your whole group can attend: the price stays the same. We charge a fixed price per course rather than per person. We discuss group size during the initial consultation to make sure the teaching approach suits your group.
Which strategy models does the training cover?
We cover widely used strategy models: Mintzberg's Strategy Bridge, SWOT analysis with the SWOT strategy matrix, Strategy Safari, the resource-based approach, Porter's competitive strategy, the Magic Pentagon, Strategy Map and Business Model Canvas. We bring them together in an integrated strategy model that combines the strengths of the individual approaches.
Do participants receive a certificate of attendance?
Yes, each package includes a certificate of attendance with a summary of the topics covered. It also documents the training for your organisation's own records.
How does the training differ from workshops and consulting?
In the training, we equip your team to plan and manage strategy processes themselves. In a strategy workshop we work with you to develop the actual strategic content; in our strategy process consulting we help manage the entire process. Many clients combine the two: training first, then strategy coaching during the process.
Do you offer open courses with individual registration?
No. Our strategy training is delivered exclusively in-house for existing groups and teams. We do not offer open courses with individual places. If you would like to study the topic on your own, our overview of Methods and models of strategy development is freely available.
How far in advance do we need to book?
We arrange the date around your strategy work: as an in-house course, the training takes place at a time that suits you, by agreement. We discuss how much notice you need during the free initial consultation.
Further reading on strategy
Three overviews from our knowledge section if you would like to explore the topic before the training:
Methods and models of strategy development
An overview of widely used strategy models, with guidance on how to put them into practice.
Read the article →The strategy process: a step-by-step guide
How to set up and manage a strategy process, from analysis to implementation.
Read the article →All articles on strategy development
Our complete knowledge section on the topic, regularly updated with insights from consulting practice.
View the overview →Free initial consultation
Contact.
More than 21 years' experience in strategy processes has taught us that we can find the right package faster in conversation than with any comparison table. Book a free initial consultation with us – we'll get in touch.