Early last year I mentioned that the Rockefeller Habits One Page Strategic Plan is too complicated, cluttered, and jargon filled. Answering all the questions and providing it in one page form is a great exercise but team members need something that is much more digestible. Well, here’s a simplified one page strategic plan that fits on one page of a Google Doc with margins set at .3 inches and a font size of 10 (Google Doc template and example plan):
Purpose
- One line purpose
Core Values
- General – fit on one line
- People – fit on one line
Market
- One line description of your market
Brand Promise
- One line brand promise
Elevator Pitch
- No more than three sentences for the elevator pitch
3 Year Target
- One line with the goal
Annual Goals
- 3-5 annual goals in table format with the start value, current value, and target value
Quarterly Goals
- 3-5 quarterly goals in table format with the start value, current value, and target value
Quarterly Priority Projects
- Three one-line priority projects with the percent complete for each
Now, it’s still a significant amount of information but the jargon has been removed, it flows top to bottom, and it fits on a single side of one sheet of paper. My recommendation is for entrepreneurs to do an updated one page strategic plan on a quarterly basis following the ideas from Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (Google Doc template and example plan).
What else? What do you think of this simplified one page strategic plan from Rockefeller Habits?
David Cummings on Startups 
Dave-
Is there suppose to be a link to your google doc? I am missing where you have it posted.
Here’s the link:
https://docs.google.com/previewtemplate?id=1Qmdy6hRLV5yOSpZculmjh1YGVnBbvE9ARVFx31KsL6s&mode=public
Great post David! Thanks for the link to your Google Doc Template too!
Continue to love, refer and use this.
Trying this out now, thanks!
In the ‘One page strategic plan’, maybe there should be a section on your strategy also? SWOT, goals, purpose, etc are great to clarify but the strategy is the how and arguably as important as all those other things put together.
If the environment is competitive (the war for talent, competition for resources, product competition etc), the strategy is the thing to allow you to reach the goals and achieve the purpose. If it’s a good strategy, then even with new types of competition, or competitors changing their tactics, the strategy will endure. Question: If you develop and communicate a ‘winning strategy’, is the job of leadership then virtually child’s play (especially if the start up relies heavily on automation)?
David, you alway post great content and links to other great resources. Thank you for all that you do.
On a separate note, you really need to find or create a larger room for your Startup Village event such as the one tonight. I’m not sure if you’re there, but if you are, then you see the problem. Probably 700+ people trying to get into a room that likely doesn’t accommodate much more than 500. You either need to cut off the registration at the maximum capacity of the room or get a bigger room.
This seems like a great template for initial structure to a big idea or company, is that correct? What about a template for ideas to be discussed by the company like features or outside the box ideas for marketing. Do you have a template you like to present ideas to the team?
Excellent idea, David! The biggest commodity for startups is our time which makes utilizing it wisely a key to success. I love to meet with other entrepreneurs but hate to feel like we cheated ourselves if there was nothing gained.
I love this, I’ve been looking for a focused document to send around internally.
What is the difference between the Start Value and the Current Value?
Good question. The Start Value is the value at the start of the quarter and the Current Value is the value as of today.