The cry of the psalmist was for grace to develop wisdom for a life well lived. This has application both individually and organizationally. Each person and organization has a specific God-ordained purpose. Individual purpose is fulfilled in the context of organizations, such as families, local churches, businesses, and government agencies. As individuals fulfill their purposes in their divinely assigned organizations, organizations will be empowered to fulfill their purposes.

As stated by the psalmist, the predicate for wise living is strategic living—giving careful consideration as to how one utilizes one’s time every day. In other words, one must develop an overarching plan—a strategic plan—that governs one’s daily choices and likewise for organizations. A strategic plan has five essential elements:

Vision: The starting point in any planning process is vision. What does God give you or your organization the grace to see about what the future could be, and better yet, what it should be? Often this can be the most enjoyable part of the process.
Assessment: This is seeing the current reality clearly and correctly. Though it should be easier to see than the vision casting, it can be more challenging because reality can be difficult and even painful to acknowledge.
Goals: The vision establishes a future reality to be achieved, the assessment acknowledges the current reality, and goals are steps of transformation to move from the current reality to a future reality.
Execution: Perhaps the most difficult part of planning is executing. Vision, assessment, and goals are developed in the context of a planning meeting that is usually held annually. The meeting can be invigorating but afterward comes the arduous work of execution. Execution requires discipline, commitment, and endurance, which, for most, is not necessarily invigorating but rather tedious, taxing, and sometimes monotonous. This is the real test of a strategic plan.
Accountability: Finally, the lynchpin of a strategic plan is accountability—real accountability to someone who will not extend mercy. The failure rate of strategic plans is high because most individuals and organizations fail to submit to accountability. As a maxim, those who don’t submit to accountability, don’t execute their plans.

Strategic planning is not easy, but it is an essential process for successful individuals and organizations. Biblically, success is alignment with the will of God (James 4:13–17). Those who truly submit to strategic planning as outlined above are those who want to develop wisdom to “number their days correctly.”

Here is your business tip. Organizational leaders who value a Christian worldview will value strategic planning as a tool to enable them to align with the will of God. Such leaders will hold annual planning meetings and periodic (e.g., quarterly) accountability meetings to help them stay on course. The leaders will also engage accountability partners from their oversight board or consultants to hold them accountable to their plan. Organizations with this level of commitment to alignment with God will deliver excellent value to those they are called to serve.