Now is the time to make your 2026 business plan matter

“Strategic planning does not deal with future decisions; it deals with the futurity of present decisions.” These words from Peter Drucker offer insight into the way management can approach its annual plans. Said another way: define success, then chart the path to create it. 

What will it take to advance your organization in fulfilling its definition of success in 2026?  This is the time to ask the key strategic questions of your team (and yourself) to position your organization for success as 2026 unfolds.

Planning for the new year isn’t just about setting goals. It’s about ensuring alignment with the organization’s definition of success (also known as its vision) in the context of a constantly shifting environment. Clarity about how the organization defines success (beyond goals) creates a path to alignment between leadership, teams, operations and customer needs. This matters when operating conditions are in flux (translation: always).

Yes, quantifiable goals matter, but goals are simply the way we measure the progress of activities we’ve engaged in during a specific period (month, quarter or year); they represent the results of an organization’s efforts. In terms of cause and effect, financial results are only an effect. And in many organizations, establishing performance (financial) goals is done independent of true strategic analysis. 

So, where do we start to build a meaningful plan for the new year? By revisiting questions about those we serve. Whatever business you are in, it is likely that your customers, suppliers, partners and competitors are constantly evolving. Who you serve, what they expect, what alternatives (to your offering) they face and what matters most. Employee expectations are also in transition. Whether you are experiencing the current economy as filled with opportunities for growth or one facing new challenges, competition for talent is likely to be a recurring topic in your business. 

As we look ahead to the second half of the 2020s, think back five years and consider what mattered most to your customers at that time. Have their expectations evolved, and how? How have competitors shifted? Has your go-to-market operating model changed to address shifting conditions? How do these and similar questions shape your views about where to set your priorities in the new year to create success for the organization?   

5 strategic questions to ask as you plan for 2026

1. How have our customers’ expectations evolved, and what will they value most in 2026? Understanding how customer needs are changing, whether in terms of how they access us, speed of delivery, technology, personalization of our offering or cost, helps prioritize the initiatives that matter most.
2. What does success mean for our organization beyond financial metrics? Clarifying the organization’s broader definition of success (vision, impact, relevance, innovation) helps align teams and decisions across functions, especially when short-term pressures and competing priorities arise.
3. Where are we most vulnerable to competitive disruption or shifts in relevance? Since every one of your customers is another firm’s prospect, staying relevant means continuously reassessing where differentiation and value creation are strongest and most vulnerable.
4. What assumptions about our business, people or market are we relying on, and are they still valid? Planning based on outdated assumptions can steer the organization off course. Leaders must continually re-evaluate what they believe to be true about their operating model, workforce and market environment.
5. Are we building a culture and environment that attracts and retains the talent we’ll need to execute this plan? Strategy without the right people to carry it out is just theory. A plan that ignores evolving employee expectations around purpose, flexibility, growth and leadership risks becoming disconnected from reality.

True, meaningful strategy work is not an isolated event. It is an ongoing process. As we look ahead to a new year, it is a perfect time to use questions like those shared above to engage your team in a genuine strategic conversation that benefits your organization.

Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.

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