Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management

A Customised 2-Day Programme: Reviewing Performance, Setting Priorities and Aligning the Annual Performance Plan

Platform:

Online

In-class

Revised and Updated: 27 October 2026

Date	Venue	Duration
03 - 04 November 2026	Sandton, Gauteng	2 Days
12 - 13 November 2026	Sandton, Gauteng	2 Days

Course Introduction

A strategic plan only works when the people who must carry it out share the same picture of where the organisation stands, where it is going, and what each person must do to get there. This customised programme combines expert strategic planning facilitation with Prospen Africa’s leadership cohesion approach, so that the Board and Management leave with a sound plan and the working relationships needed to deliver it.

The programme is built around the organisation’s own performance information, its existing Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan, and its current organisational structure. Day 1 reviews performance, tests the operating environment, builds alignment within the leadership group, and sets strategic priorities. Day 2 turns those priorities into a results-based Annual Performance Plan, reviews whether the organisational structure supports the strategy, and agrees how the plan will be led and monitored. The programme is delivered once for the Board and once for Management, with the Board session setting direction and the Management session turning that direction into plans and structure.

Course Objectives

By the end of this Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management programme, participants will be able to:

Review organisational performance against the current Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan, and explain the causes of both achievements and shortfalls

Assess the operating environment, the mandate, the expectations of the executive authority and stakeholders, and national planning priorities

Set clear strategic priorities, outcomes, and trade-offs that the Board and Management both support

Develop an Annual Performance Plan with measurable outputs, indicators, baselines, and annual and quarterly targets, linked to the budget and to risk

Review the organisational structure against the strategy, and identify the changes needed to deliver it

Build trust, communicate openly, and resolve differences, so that strategy decisions are owned by the whole leadership team

Agree who will do what by when, and how progress will be monitored and reported

Who should attend?

Board Members and the Chairperson (Board session)

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Management

Senior and Middle Managers responsible for programmes and targets (Management session)

Heads of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Performance Reporting

Chief Financial Officer and Finance Managers

Human Resources and Organisational Development Practitioners

Risk, Compliance, and Internal Audit Officials

Company Secretary and Governance Officials

How the Programme Meets the Scope of Work

How the Board and Management Sessions Differ

Board session: focuses on mandate, oversight, risk appetite, strategic direction, and the priorities the Board will endorse. It also covers how the Board and Management work together on strategy

Management session: starts from the Board’s direction and focuses on programmes, outputs, indicators, targets, resources, and the organisational structure

Both sessions: follow the same two-day flow, so decisions and language stay consistent from the Board to Management and back to the Board for endorsement

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

Day 1 — Reviewing Performance, Aligning Leaders and Setting Strategic Direction

Module 1: Opening, Expectations and Leadership Alignment

Purpose of the session, expected outcomes, and ground rules for open and respectful debate
Working styles and personality preferences within the leadership group, and how they shape discussion and decisions
Trust and psychological safety: the leader's role in creating a space where people can disagree
Roles of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, and Management in strategy: who advises, who decides, and who delivers
Common blind spots in leadership teams, and how they affect strategic decisions
Practical Exercise: agree on the leadership group's working principles for the two days

Module 2: Reviewing Performance Against the Current Plans

Performance against the current Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan: targets met, partly met, and missed
Root cause analysis of shortfalls, covering people, systems, funding, processes, and external factors
Audit outcomes, compliance findings, and risk reports as inputs to strategy
Financial position and affordability, including cost-containment pressures
Stakeholder and client feedback, and what the performance data says about service delivery
Lessons learned and what must change
Practical Exercise: rate each strategic outcome as on track, at risk, or off track, and agree the evidence

Module 3: Understanding the Operating Environment

Mandate and enabling legislation: what the organisation must do, may do, and should not do
Expectations of the executive authority and shareholder, including the performance agreement or compact
National planning priorities, including the 2024–2029 Medium-Term Development Plan, and what they mean for the organisation
Stakeholder mapping: who has influence, who is affected, and what each needs
Trends in technology, regulation, and the sector, including the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence and cyber threats
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and the key strategic issues that follow

Module 4: Setting Strategic Priorities

Revisiting the vision, mission, and values, and whether they still fit
Developing the impact statement and outcomes using a Theory of Change
Criteria for choosing priorities: mandate, impact, risk, resources, and capacity
Making trade-offs: what to start, continue, reduce, or stop
Risk appetite and key strategic risks, with mitigation
Agreeing a short list of strategic priorities for endorsement
Case Study: a public entity that tried to do everything, and what happened when priorities were not chosen

Module 5: Making Decisions Together — Communication, Conflict and Consensus

Empathic and assertive communication in strategy discussions
Giving and receiving feedback, and encouraging open challenge
Handling conflict and disagreement within the leadership team
Persuasion and influence: how to bring a divided group to a decision
Recording decisions and responsibilities so that they hold after the session
Practical Exercise: work through a disputed priority and reach a recorded decision

Day 2 — Developing the Annual Performance Plan, Reviewing the Structure and Leading Delivery

Module 6: From Strategy to Results — The Planning Framework

The results chain: impact, outcomes, outputs, activities, and inputs
National Treasury's Revised Framework for Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans: the structure and the minimum requirements
Writing outcomes and outputs, and choosing indicators that are specific, measurable, and verifiable
Baselines, annual targets, and quarterly targets, and the evidence needed to report them
Technical indicator descriptions: definitions, sources of data, and calculation methods
Links between the plan, the budget, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, and the risk register

Module 7: Developing the Annual Performance Plan

Reviewing the existing Strategic Plan, and deciding whether any changes are needed and how they must be approved
Programme structure, purpose statements, outputs, and output indicators
Setting realistic targets: using past performance, capacity, and funding
Resource considerations and costing of outputs
Risks, assumptions, and unintended consequences
Linking the plan to the annual operational plan, individual performance agreements, and quarterly reporting
Planning and approval timelines, including the Board's endorsement and submission to the executive authority
Practical Exercise: draft output indicators and quarterly targets for one programme, and test them against the data available

Module 8: Reviewing the Organisational Structure

Structure follows strategy: testing the current structure against the agreed priorities
Functional analysis: overlaps, gaps, spans of control, and role clarity
Capacity and vacancies, affordability, and the compensation budget
Delegations of authority and decision rights
Structure options, assessment criteria, and a recommended way forward
Consultation, approval requirements, and change management, including engagement with staff and organised labour
Case Study: restructuring a public entity around its new priorities without disrupting service delivery

Module 9: Leading Implementation and Accountability

Translating the plan into responsibilities, delegation, and performance agreements
Coaching and performance conversations that keep delivery on track
Leading change: communicating the strategy to staff and stakeholders
Monitoring and reporting: dashboards, quarterly reviews, and early warning signs
Governance of delivery: how the Board and its committees follow up on progress

Module 10: Commitments, Report and Way Forward

Consolidating the decisions, priorities, and actions agreed over the two days
Responsibilities, deadlines, and the follow-up plan
Preparation of the session report and the draft strategy within ten days of the session
Route to approval: review by Management, endorsement by the Board, and finalisation of the official strategy document
Closing reflections and commitments

Deliverables

A session report covering the discussions, decisions, and agreed priorities for each session

A draft strategy and Annual Performance Plan, delivered within ten days after the session

A summary of the organisational structure review, with options and recommendations

A final strategy document, produced after endorsement by the Board of Directors

Post-session support to Management during finalisation

Course Categories

Office Administration Courses ❯ Audit, Risk And Governance ❯ Compliance Courses ❯ Finance Courses ❯ Human Resources Training & Development ❯ View All Course Categories ❯

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FAQs – Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management

Explore FAQs about strategic planning and leadership cohesion for boards and executives, including governance alignment, strategic direction, team collaboration and decision-making.

What is the Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management?

This session helps board members and executive management align strategic priorities, strengthen leadership cohesion, and develop a shared understanding of the organisation's direction. It focuses on improving strategic decision-making, collaboration, and alignment between governance and executive leadership.

Who should attend this strategic planning and leadership session?

The session is intended for board members, board committee members, chief executive officers, executive directors, senior managers, and other leaders responsible for organisational strategy, governance, and strategic performance.

Why is strategic alignment important for boards and executive management?

Strategic alignment helps boards and executive management work towards shared organisational objectives. It clarifies priorities, strengthens communication, supports consistent decision-making, and helps ensure that executive actions reflect the organisation's strategic direction.

What topics are addressed during the session?

The session focuses on strategic planning, leadership alignment, board and executive collaboration, shared priorities, strategic decision-making, and organisational performance. The specific discussion areas can be confirmed with Prospen Africa based on the session requirements.

How can the session improve collaboration between the board and executive management?

The session creates an opportunity for board members and executives to discuss strategic priorities, clarify expectations, identify areas of misalignment, and establish a common direction. This can strengthen working relationships and support more coordinated implementation of organisational strategy.

How can an organisation arrange this session?

Organisations can contact Prospen Africa to discuss their strategic planning and leadership development requirements. Share the intended participants, objectives, preferred dates, and any specific organisational challenges to enquire about suitable arrangements and request a quotation.

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Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management

A Customised 2-Day Programme: Reviewing Performance, Setting Priorities and Aligning the Annual Performance Plan

Course Objectives

Who should attend?

Course Outline

Request a Call Back

Course Introduction

Course Objectives

Who should attend?

How the Programme Meets the Scope of Work

How the Board and Management Sessions Differ

Training Methodology

Training Outline

Deliverables

Course Categories

Course Registration Guide

Request a Call Back

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Success Stories

Business Continuity Management

GRAP 104 revised

GRAP 104

FAQs – Strategic Planning and Leadership Cohesion Session for Boards and Executive Management

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