The ViDA Strategic Planning Process: The System That Turns Your Team Into a Crew

Strategic planning has a reputation problem. Too many organizations lock themselves in a boardroom, decorate flip charts, eat stale muffins, and call it strategy.

Not here. Not with ViDA.

The ViDA Strategic Planning Method is built for real leaders running real organizations who need clarity, focus, discipline, and measurable progress—not theatre. And it plugs directly into the Quadrennial Planning Framework used throughout ValuesDrivenAchievement.com, giving your company a four-year arc of ambition paired with the relentless 90-day execution rhythm that actually makes strategy stick.

This is strategic planning that compounds.
It’s structured, actionable, human, and occasionally sweaty.

Why This Method Works (And Why It Works Even Better With Quadrennial Planning)

Most strategic plans die within 30 days because they were built for a binder, not for reality. The ViDA method fixes that by blending:

It integrates seamlessly within a Quadrennial Planning Framework, which structures organizational ambition in four-year cycles—the same planning cycle used by Olympians, elite sports programs, military teams, and high-performance organizations.

Think of Quadrennial Planning as your “Olympic cycle,” and the ViDA Strategic Planning Method as the boat, the oars, and the stroke rhythm that get you there.

Your team stops operating like a collection of busy individuals and starts acting like an elite rowing crew—aligned, powerful, synchronized.

Most teams leave saying things like:

“Holy sh*t. We finally have a clear vision.”
“The smoke has cleared.”
“I feel inspired and actually know what I’m doing.”

And the best part? Organizations using this method consistently see 500%+ ROI on their initial investment. Alignment pays.

Step Zero: Energy Cultivation

(Because tired brains don’t make good strategy.)

Before strategy, we get people present.

Meditation.
Stretching.
Outdoor activities.
Breathwork.
Light boot camps (or heavy, if the CEO requests punishment).

No more zombie planning sessions. No more limp leaders.
This is full-body thinking. Strategic planning that engages the whole human.

Step One: Align the Big Picture

(Everyone on the same page—finally.)

This is where your team gets honest, aligned, and focused. We surface wins, acknowledge elephants, reset expectations, and clarify identity.

We build alignment around:

This long-term vision becomes the North Star for your Quadrennial Planning Framework.

It’s the “why” behind every 90-day sprint you’ll execute for the next four years.

Step Two: Team Education and Shared Mental Model

(Because strategy fails when people think in different languages.)

Everyone learns together.
Everyone levels up together.

We read, watch, discuss, and integrate thinking from:

This builds shared language, shared context, and shared competence—critical for your four-year Quadrennial arc.

Step Three: Identify Strategic Priorities

(This is where clarity sharpens and innovation begins.)

Based on the CEO consult and team survey, we pull the right tools from the toolbox:

This is creative, analytical, and practical.

The end result?
A small number of high-impact Strategic Priorities that will drive your next four years of growth—and your next 90 days of action.

This is where Quadrennial Planning meets real-life decision-making.

Step Four: Align the Four-Year Strategy

(The bridge between your four-year vision and your next 90 days.)

Each leader takes ownership of a Race Lane—a strategic project that will materially advance the organization.

Then we map out 16 quarters:

This becomes the middle layer between your BHAG and the 13-week sprint.
It transforms long-term ambition into a predictable execution pathway.

Step Five: Lock in the 90-Day Sprint

(Where the magic happens and the work gets done.)

This is how strategy stays alive.

Every quarter we define:

Some companies choose 26-week sprints.
Fine. Rhythm is flexible. Discipline is not.

This quarterly cycle is the engine of your Quadrennial Planning Framework.
Every sprint drives progress toward your four-year targets.

This is how compounding happens:
Quarter by quarter, sprint by sprint.

Team Understanding and Trust

(Because strategy dies where relationships break.)

We use Predictive Index, values exercises, structured conversations, and facilitated sharing to deepen empathy, trust, and cohesion.

High trust accelerates execution.
Low trust kills it.
This part matters.

Meals, Movement, Momentum

(Because humans work better when they like each other.)

In-person planning includes shared meals—one of the fastest ways to build trust.
Virtual planning includes intentional breaks to prevent Zoom fatigue.

And yes—some of the best ideas surface over dinner, not during SWOT.

The Annual Rhythm: Your Strategic System for the Full Four-Year Cycle

Your year follows a predictable execution rhythm:

This cycle aligns perfectly with your Quadrennial Planning Framework, creating:

It’s the most effective system you can run without hiring a full-time Chief Strategy Officer.

Why Leaders Keep Using This System

Because it actually works.

It reduces stress.
It removes ambiguity.
It boosts accountability.
It unlocks growth.
It builds leaders.
It aligns teams.
It compounds progress.

Most importantly:

It gives every sprint, every quarter, every year a clear role in the long-term four-year plan.

Teams stop drifting.
Leaders stop guessing.
Companies start rowing.

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Adam Kreek and his team are on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.

He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen. 

Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about Kreek’s coaching here.

Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.