--- title: "Strategic Plan: Don’t Stay Stuck on Autopilot" id: "23611" type: "post" slug: "strategic-plan-dont-stay-stuck-on-autopilot" published_at: "2014-06-11T22:00:15+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T04:16:44+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/06/11/strategic-plan-dont-stay-stuck-on-autopilot/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/06/11/strategic-plan-dont-stay-stuck-on-autopilot.md" excerpt: "The dangers of a reflexive leadership style. Also: Don't forget the strategy in your strategic plan." taxonomy_category: - "Organizational Strategy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Cost Management" - "labor organization" - "Leadership" - "Strategic Planning" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Strategic Plan: Don’t Stay Stuck on Autopilot Sure, it’s easier to do certain things the same way every time, but, eventually, this tactic doesn’t work anymore. Thoughts on that in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### When You Start to Slip > Knowing When to Turn the Auto-Pilot Off [http://t.co/qfdK1mDf6b (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/qfdK1mDf6b) > > — Jamie Notter (@jamienotter) [June 10, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/jamienotter/status/476450671751725056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **It’s great to have a plan of action** in a given situation, but when it turns into a mere reflex, there’s a big problem. So says consultant Jamie Notter, who suggests that an “autopilot” style of management [comes with a lot of pitfalls (opens in a new tab)](http://jamienotter.com/2014/06/knowing-when-to-turn-the-auto-pilot-off/) . For one thing, what works for a while when dealing with routine things won’t always work in the long run. “While those things sit on the back burner, the world continues to change,” he writes. “What was once useful can easily become not useful, and things we THOUGHT were useful can be discovered to be quite problematic once we learn more about how things work. So the trick is to know when we need to pull some of those things off the back burner and work on them.” In other words, it’s a slippery slope. The yoke isn’t perfect and drifts slightly to the right. Before you know it, you’re off track. *(ht @[jamienotter (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/jamienotter/) )* ### All Plan, No Strategy > Signs you may have a strategic plan, but not a strategy [http://t.co/g6zT76Z2Qc (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/g6zT76Z2Qc) > via [@LowMeredith (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/LowMeredith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#engageassn (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/engageassn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#csae (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/csae?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Meagan Rockett (@rockettm) [June 11, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/rockettm/status/476731889831927808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Sometimes the process gets in the way.**[That’s according to consultant Meredith Low (opens in a new tab)](http://meredithlow.com/5-signs-may-strategic-plan-strategy/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-signs-may-strategic-plan-strategy) , who talks about the problems of a strategic plan that’s focused too much on the process and not enough on the details of how you will succeed in accomplishing your goal. Low describes problems that may indicate that you have a strategic plan but not a strategy, such as when your plan doesn’t help you make decisions. “Should you prioritize speed or quality?” she writes. “Should you take a broad or a narrow approach to defining your target market? If you don’t refer to your strategy when you are wondering how to answer questions like this, it’s probably not really a strategy.” Oh, and if you don’t know what your strategy is without looking it up in a document, that’s a problem. *(ht @[rockettm (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/rockettm/) )* (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Cost Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/cost-management/) [#labor organization](https://associationsnow.com/tag/labor-organization/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Strategic Planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/strategic-planning/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [ArticleKeys to Innovation at Long-Running AssociationsNovember 3, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/03/keys-to-innovation-at-long-running-associations/) - [ArticleThree Habits Association Leaders Should Adopt for Agile Strategic PlanningOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/three-habits-association-leaders-should-adopt-for-agile-strategic-planning/) - [ArticleThe Bigger Risk Is What Associations Won’t StopMay 27, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/27/the-bigger-risk-is-what-associations-wont-stop-2/) - [ArticleDesigning How Your Organization KnowsMay 21, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/21/designing-how-your-organization-knows/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F06%2F11%2Fstrategic-plan-dont-stay-stuck-on-autopilot%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !