DIY Strategic Planning: What Worked, What Didn’t. Lessons Learnt with Dianna Larkin, McCay Duff, Canada.

Facilitating your own firm’s strategic planning retreat can present some unique challenges & opportunities.

In this episode of the Authentic Advisor, James Mason interviews Dianna Larkin, a partner at McCay Duff, about her journey in strategic planning and advisory services. Dianna shares her entrepreneurial background, the culture at McCay Duff, and her experience transitioning to a DIY approach for strategic planning retreats. She discusses the challenges and successes of facilitating her own firm’s retreat, the importance of a structured framework, and offers valuable advice for other advisors looking to enhance their strategic planning skills.

Takeaways

• McCay Duff focuses on a people-centric culture to retain talent.
• The firm has a strong history of succession planning.
• Dianna transitioned to a DIY approach for strategic planning retreats.
• Using a structured framework helped guide the planning process.
• Pre-work and spaced sessions improved engagement and productivity.
• Facilitating her own retreat presented unique challenges.
• Dianna learned the importance of balancing facilitation and participation.
• The experience built confidence in her advisory capabilities.
• Continuous learning and applying tools is key for growth.

Chapters

00:10 Introduction to Strategic Planning Insights

03:12 Dianna's Entrepreneurial Journey

06:05 The Role of McCay Duff and Its Culture

08:59 Transitioning to DIY Strategic Planning

12:22 Implementing the Strategic Planning Framework

15:23 Challenges of Facilitating Your Own Retreat

18:06 Reflections on the Experience and Future Directions

21:15 Advice for Advisors on Strategic Planning