Guiding Principle Workshop

How to craft a clear, actionable guiding principle to anchor strategic decisions.

1 day

At your location or video conference

Workshop Overview

Help teams break the relentless change cycle by creating a clear, compelling guiding principle that serves as a strategic North Star. Participants will learn how to distill their organization’s core priorities into a single, actionable statement (with supporting Core Commitments) that aligns teams, guides decision-making, and keeps change efforts grounded and consistent over time. Through collaborative exercises and practical frameworks, attendees will leave with a Guiding Principle and Core Commitments they can immediately put into practice.

Anchoring Strategic Decisions
5 CE Credits

This workshop is designed to help organizations escape the cycle of chasing short-lived trends and instead focus on consistent, strategic execution. Participants will learn how to define a single, powerful Guiding Principle that reflects their core strategic intent. Through interactive discussions, practical exercises, and real-world examples, attendees will explore how a Guiding Principle acts as a decision filter—aligning teams, clarifying priorities, and creating focus amidst constant change. Teams will also create Core Commitments to illustrate how the Guiding Principle becomes daily behaviors. This session is ideal for leaders and teams looking to anchor their efforts in something meaningful, sustainable, and uniquely theirs.

Workshop Objectives

Understand the organizational risks of trend-chasing and misaligned initiatives
Define what makes an effective and actionable Guiding Principle
Identify their organization’s differentiated, core strategic focus
Craft a clear, memorable Guiding Principle and Core Commitments tailored to their team or business
Apply the Guiding Principle and Core Commitments as a decision-making tool across functions and initiatives

Workshop Agenda

Welcome & Context-Setting

Introductions and workshop goals
The “Flavor of the Month” problem: Why most strategic initiatives fail
Overview of the Guiding Principle concept

Identifying the Noise

Group discussion: What "Flavor of the Month" looks like in your organization
Exercise: Mapping competing initiatives and their impact
Debrief: Recognizing misalignment and its consequences

Break

Finding Your Strategic Core

Mini-lecture: What makes an effective Guiding Principle (with examples)
Exercise: Clarifying your organization's key differentiators and unique strengths
Group sharing and facilitated feedback

Lunch

Crafting the Guiding Principle and Core Commitments

Workshop: Drafting your Guiding Principle and Core Commitments using the Steering Guide framework
Peer review: Testing for clarity, actionability, and alignment
Iteration and refinement

Break

Putting It to Work

Scenario exercises: Using your Guiding Principle and Core Commitments to make decisions
Aligning messaging, strategy, and execution with your principle and commitments
Discussion: Embedding the principle and commitments into daily operations

Action Planning & Commitments

Worksheet: How to activate your Guiding Principle and Core Commitments post-workshop
Identifying owners, influencers, and next steps
Final reflection

Wrap-Up & Q&A

Recap of key learnings
Open discussion
Final thoughts and workshop close

Key Takeaways

Recognize the pitfalls of trend-chasing and fragmented strategic efforts within their organization

Understand the purpose and power of a Guiding Principle as a tool for strategic clarity and alignment

Identify and articulate their organization’s core value proposition and strategic intent

Draft a clear, actionable Guiding Principle and Core Commitments that reflects organizational purpose, focus, and direction

Apply the Guiding Principle and Core Commitments to guide decisions, prioritize initiatives, and communicate strategic direction

Develop a practical plan to embed the Guiding Principle and Core Commitments into daily operations, culture, and behaviors

‍

Workshop details at a glance

Target Audience:

Leaders who are seeking to establish an actionable and differentiating north star. Suitable for professionals across all industries.

Delivery Format:

in-person at your company's location or virtually through video conferencing, depending on your preferences and requirements.

Duration:

A full-day session, lasting approximately 8 hours. Can be tailored to span multiple sessions over consecutive days.

Materials:

All workshop materials, including book, handouts, and presentation slides, will be provided to participants either in advance.

Ready to see change embraced?

Contact Us to SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP