You’ve probably seen it before.
A thick, glossy, perfectly bound strategic plan sitting on your desk. Eighty pages. Sometimes a hundred. The kind of document you can be proud to show off during presentations, or submit to NEDA or DBM with confidence.
How many of your people have actually read it?
Be honest. Most of the time, only a handful. Maybe just the planning office. Maybe even just you.
And it’s not your fault. Strategic plans in government almost always end up this way—long, detailed, and technical. We make them thick because we want to comply. We want to cover every angle. We want to show seriousness. Mabuti nang sobra kaysa kulang.
I understand. I’ve worked with many agencies, and it’s the same story everywhere.
But here’s the shift: what if your strategic plan could be more than a compliance document?
What if it could be a playbook—something your leaders, staff, and even citizens could rally around? What if, instead of gathering dust, it actually guided daily decisions and inspired action?
That’s what this article is about.
What Is a Strategic Plan?
A strategic plan is your playbook for the future.
It tells you where you are going, why you exist, and how you’ll get there. Think of it as the game plan that helps your agency move in the same direction.
It’s not just about programs or budgets. It’s about having a shared map so that every office, every person, and every partner knows what role they play in winning.
Why a Strategic Plan Is Important
Without a plan, every road feels right—but leads nowhere.
A strategic plan gives your agency clarity and focus. It helps you choose what matters most, and it guides you when resources are tight, when politics shift, or when crises hit.
It also builds trust. When people—staff, partners, citizens—see a clear plan, they know you’re not just reacting. You’re leading with direction.
Now, here’s the reality.
Even though we know a strategic plan should be simple and clear, in government it often ends up being long and heavy. Eighty pages. Sometimes a hundred. Sometimes more.
Why? Because the system demands it. And because we want to be sure we’re doing things right.
Let’s talk about why this happens.
Why Strategic Plans in Government Are So Long
If you’ve worked in government long enough, you know the drill.
Every agency has to align with the Philippine Development Plan, Ambisyon Natin 2040, the Sustainable Development Goals, and other national priorities. Add the guidelines from NEDA, DBM, COA, or your line department, and suddenly your plan grows thicker and thicker.
That’s compliance.
Then there’s risk aversion. Nobody wants to be called out in an audit. So we put in more details, more attachments, more annexes. Mas mabuti nang sobra kaysa kulang.
And of course, there’s symbolism. A thick document feels serious. It looks like proof of hard work. Leaders can launch it in a ceremony, distribute copies, and say, “This is our plan.”
Finally, there’s the multi-audience problem. One plan is expected to serve everyone: the auditors, the leaders, the staff, the partners, and sometimes even the public. To please them all, the plan becomes a catch-all.
I’ve seen it happen many times. A regional agency once produced a 90-page plan—not because they wanted to, but because the template required every office to submit detailed write-ups. By the time it was compiled, nobody could remember what the big goals were.
👉 So yes, our strategic plans are long for very good reasons. 👉 The problem is, very few people actually read them.
And that’s where the real challenge begins.
The Challenge of Long Plans
We work hard to produce thick, detailed strategic plans. They meet the requirements. They pass the audits. They look impressive on paper.
But when the planning office distributes the document, what happens?
Most people never read beyond the executive summary. Some don’t open it at all.
I’ve met agency staff who didn’t even know their office had a strategic plan. One supervisor admitted, “Sir, I only saw it when we needed to submit our performance targets.”
That’s not laziness. It’s reality. People are busy with operations. And when the plan feels like a textbook, it’s easier to set it aside.
The result?
- Staff don’t see themselves in the plan.
- Citizens and partners can’t understand the technical language.
- Leaders struggle to rally people around a 100-page binder.
I once worked with a department head who flipped through their own plan and sighed: “Can we make a shorter version of this? Something I can use in my speeches?”
That’s the point. A plan that nobody reads is like a playbook left on the bench. It exists, but it doesn’t guide the game.
👉 And that’s why we need to rethink what a strategic plan really is—not just a document for compliance, but a playbook for winning.
Rethinking the Strategic Plan as a Playbook
Think about basketball.
When the coach prepares the team, he doesn’t hand out a 120-page manual. He gives them a playbook—short, clear, focused. Everyone knows the plays. Everyone knows their role. And when the whistle blows, they don’t flip through pages. They act.
That’s how a strategic plan should work in government. It should be a playbook, not a paperweight.
A playbook gives you:
- Direction – What game are we playing, and what’s the goal?
- Clarity – Which plays matter most?
- Unity – How do we move as one team?
I saw this in action with one local government unit. For disaster response, instead of producing another long technical plan, they created a 7-page playbook. It had three priorities, clear roles, and simple diagrams. Barangay leaders could carry it, explain it, and use it in community meetings.
The result? When typhoons came, people knew what to do. The plan wasn’t sitting in a cabinet—it was alive in the hands of the community.
That’s the power of treating a strategic plan as a playbook.
Because here’s the truth: we’re not just planning to comply—we’re planning to win.
And winning in government means better services, stronger communities, and citizens who trust that their leaders know where they’re going.
👉 But to win, there’s one thing we cannot ignore: clarity.
Clarity as the Ultimate Advantage
When your people understand the plan, they can act on it. When they don’t, the plan stays on the shelf.
I worked with one agency that had a thick, impressive document. But when I asked frontline staff what their office’s top three priorities were, the answers didn’t match. Some said infrastructure. Others said social services. Others mentioned compliance.
No wonder progress felt slow—they weren’t moving in the same direction.
Then the leadership team simplified. They boiled everything down to three big shifts. Suddenly, the conversation changed. Staff could explain the strategy in their own words. And once they could retell it, they could live it.
That’s the secret. If your people can’t retell the strategy, it doesn’t exist.
Clarity doesn’t mean leaving out the details. It means putting the spotlight on what matters most, so everyone—from the director down to the newest hire—can see where they fit.
And when people see clearly, they move confidently.
👉 That’s why we teach government agencies a process that makes planning simple, focused, and usable. We call it the 6M Framework.
The 6M Framework for Strategic Planning
We’ve seen how long plans often fail to inspire action. The good news is, there’s a simple way to create strategic plans that people actually read, understand, and use.
I call it the 6M Framework.
Think of it as a step-by-step process that turns your plan into a playbook for winning.
1. Mandate
Every agency has a mandate. It’s your legal backbone—the law, charter, or executive order that tells you why you exist.
When you start with mandate, you’re grounding the plan in purpose. You’re saying: “We’re not just doing random projects. We’re doing what we were created to do.”
💡 I once helped a bureau that struggled with too many priorities. When they went back to their mandate, the noise cleared. They realized some of their projects—though good—were outside their core function. Once they refocused, their strategy aligned with what Congress actually tasked them to deliver.
👉 Without mandate, plans drift away from purpose.
2. Map the Future
A journey needs a destination. Mapping the future means defining your vision, mission, and values.
- Vision: Where are we going?
- Mission: Why do we exist today?
- Values: How will we get there?
💡 I worked with a local government unit where every department had its own idea of success. One group pushed for infrastructure, another for social services, another for revenue. After two days of dialogue, they drew one shared map: “Build a city where families thrive.” Suddenly, their projects lined up like roads pointing to one destination.
👉 Without a map, every road feels right—but leads nowhere.
3. Measure the Now
A map is useless if you don’t know where you are starting. Measuring the now means being honest about your current state.
- What strengths can we build on?
- What weaknesses hold us back?
- What opportunities are in front of us?
- What threats must we prepare for?
💡 In one agency, leaders believed they lacked resources. But when we measured carefully, we discovered untapped talent—employees with hidden skills never used in formal roles. The plan shifted from “hire more” to “maximize what we already have.”
👉 Leaders who measure honestly, plan wisely.
4. Mobilize Priorities
This is where many government plans fail—they try to do everything. Mobilization is about focus.
- Choose the 3–5 most important goals.
- Rank them by impact and urgency.
- Align people and resources behind them.
💡 A university once had 27 goals in its plan. Nobody remembered them. We helped them cut it down to four. Faculty smiled and said, “Finally, we know what matters.” Within a year, results doubled—simply because everyone was moving in the same direction.
👉 Mobilization turns ideas into movement.
5. Make It Work
Plans die in notebooks. They live when leaders turn them into action.
- Break big goals into smaller projects.
- Assign owners and timelines.
- Equip people with tools and resources.
💡 In one retail company, the CEO kept asking, “Who owns this goal?” Silence. When ownership was assigned clearly, things changed. People no longer waited—they acted, because it was their responsibility.
👉 A plan without action is just paper. Action makes the plan breathe.
6. Monitor & Multiply
The final step is often forgotten. Monitoring is not about punishment—it’s about learning and adjusting. Multiplying means repeating what works.
- Track key metrics regularly.
- Celebrate small wins to build momentum.
- Multiply proven practices across teams.
💡 An NGO started reviewing progress every Friday for just 15 minutes. The rhythm created accountability, but also pride. They didn’t just see numbers—they saw stories of lives changed.
👉 Monitoring is not control. It’s leadership that learns and adjusts.
The Power of 6Ms
When agencies follow the 6Ms, the plan becomes more than a document. It becomes a living playbook.
- Mandate keeps you grounded.
- Mapping gives you direction.
- Measuring keeps you honest.
- Mobilizing sharpens your focus.
- Making it work ensures action.
- Monitoring and multiplying sustain momentum.
This is how government agencies can move from compliance to clarity, and from paperwork to real progress.
👉 Next, let’s see how shorter plans work in practice—and how you can bring your 100-page strategy down to 40, 20, or even 7 pages without losing depth.
How Shorter Plans Work in Practice
Here’s the good news: a strategic plan doesn’t have to be 80 or 100 pages to be effective. In fact, when you keep it shorter, more people actually use it.
Different agencies have found ways to do this without losing depth.
40 Pages
This is the middle ground. A plan that’s complete but still focused. It covers the essentials—vision, goals, strategies, measures—without drowning in annexes.
Leaders can carry it to meetings, and staff can actually flip through it without getting lost.
20 Pages
This is the digestible version. Perfect for leaders, managers, and partners who want to understand direction at a glance.
I worked with one agency that produced both: a 70-page compliance plan for NEDA and a 20-page playbook for staff. The 20-pager became the “real” plan everyone used in practice.
7 Pages
This is the simplest version—the playbook for the people. It distills the heart of the strategy into priorities, programs, and roles. Easy to print, easy to explain, easy to rally around.
An LGU once used a 7-page playbook to guide their anti-poverty initiatives. Barangay captains brought copies to meetings. Even citizens could understand the direction. It built trust because the plan was transparent and simple.
👉 The point is not about the exact number of pages. It’s about clarity. If people can read it, remember it, and retell it, then the plan is working.
And here’s the key to making it work: knowing the difference between your strategic plan and your operational plan.
Balancing Compliance and Clarity
Now, let’s be clear.
We’re not saying you throw away the thick documents. Government agencies will always need them. NEDA, DBM, COA—they all require detailed reports and matrices. That’s part of governance. That’s accountability.
But here’s the shift: you can do both.
You can produce the compliance plan for oversight bodies and create a playbook version for leaders, staff, and citizens.
One director I worked with said it best: “Now I can satisfy DBM and inspire my people.” His agency kept the 80-page document for compliance, but also created a 15-page version that everyone actually used.
The compliance plan ensured they followed the rules. The playbook plan made sure they stayed on course and got things done.
👉 Compliance shows you’re accountable. 👉 Clarity shows you’re committed to results.
When you balance the two, you protect your agency while also empowering your people.
Planning That Rallies People
At the end of the day, a plan is not just paper. It’s a tool to rally people.
When staff can see themselves in the plan, they work with more ownership. When partners understand the direction, they align their support. When citizens can read it, they trust that the agency has a real game plan.
I saw this in one barangay captain. Instead of handing out a thick technical document, he used a one-page visual strategy. With simple icons and three clear priorities, he showed volunteers how their work fit into the bigger picture.
The result? More volunteers showed up. People remembered the plan. They talked about it in community gatherings. The plan wasn’t hidden in a folder—it was alive in people’s conversations.
That’s what a strategic plan should do. Not just satisfy auditors, but energize communities. Not just prove seriousness, but create shared purpose.
Because strategic planning is not just paperwork—it’s people-work.
👉 And this is where we come in. Our role is to help agencies design strategic plans that don’t just sit on shelves, but actually move people.
Our Role—Helping Agencies Shift
This is what we do.
We help government agencies create strategic plans that people will actually use. Plans that comply with national requirements and inspire staff to act.
Through our workshops, we guide leaders and planning teams using the 6M Framework. Together, we simplify the process so the plan becomes a playbook for winning.
Here’s what happens inside our sessions:
- Agencies go back to their mandate and clarify their purpose.
- Leaders and staff map the future together, aligning around one vision.
- They measure the now with honesty, identifying real strengths and challenges.
- They mobilize priorities, cutting the noise and choosing what matters most.
- They learn how to make it work—assigning ownership and breaking goals into projects.
- And they practice how to monitor and multiply, so the plan stays alive long after the workshop ends.
By the end, agencies have not just one document, but two:
- A compliance plan that satisfies oversight bodies.
- A playbook version that leaders, staff, and even citizens can rally around.
One participant told me after a session: “For the first time, I can explain our agency’s plan in less than five minutes.” That’s clarity. That’s the shift.
👉 And this brings us back to the heart of the matter: strategic planning is not about filling pages. It’s about playing to win.
Playing to Win
Let’s return to the picture of a team on the court.
When the players know the playbook, they move as one. They trust the system. They play to win.
Government is no different. Agencies don’t exist just to produce reports or submit documents. You exist to serve. To solve. To uplift.
But you can’t win if your strategy is locked inside a 100-page binder that no one remembers. You win when your plan is simple enough to guide decisions, clear enough to inspire action, and strong enough to survive changes in leadership and politics.
I once worked with an office that turned a 100-page binder into a 10-page playbook. The shift was immediate. Staff carried it in meetings. Leaders quoted it in speeches. Suddenly, the plan wasn’t hidden—it was alive.
That’s what happens when you see your strategic plan not just as a compliance document, but as a playbook.
👉 Because at the heart of it, strategy is about winning—and winning means serving people better.
The Shift We Need
Let’s honor the truth: long, detailed strategic plans made sense. They showed seriousness. They satisfied oversight bodies. They gave leaders something to present and submit.
But times have changed.
Today, what agencies need most is not just compliance—it’s clarity. Not just documents—but direction. Not just pages—but people who rally behind the plan.
That’s why we must see the strategic plan for what it truly is: a playbook for winning.
With the 6M Framework, government agencies in the Philippines can create plans that are clear, simple, and alive. Plans that meet all the requirements, but also move people. Plans that don’t just sit on a shelf, but shape daily decisions, inspire action, and build trust with citizens.
Because at the end of the day, this is not about shorter or longer. It’s about making strategy usable.
👉 When your plan is readable, people will remember it. 👉 When they remember it, they will retell it. 👉 When they retell it, they will live it.
That’s how government agencies win. That’s how we all win.
So if your agency is ready to make the shift, we’re here to help.
Our workshops will guide you through the 6M Framework and help you build your own playbook—a plan your people can rally upon so that together, we serve better and win bigger.
