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  • Tri-C President talks strategic planning in ‘Smart Business’

Tri-C President: Plan Ahead or Be Left Behind

Michael A. Baston explains importance of strategic planning in 'Smart Business Magazine'

Graphic with image of Michael A. BastonOne of the most common questions during an interview is: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Organizations and companies ask this question because they are looking to gauge how a candidate wants their future to unfold and how well they plan for the future. But the same isn't true for the organizations themselves.

In his most recent column for Smart Business Magazine, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., writes about the importance of a well-structured strategic plan in helping businesses prepare for it.

"As leaders, we often get so bogged down in our day-to-day challenges that we develop a 'cross that bridge when we get there' reactive mentality when planning for the future," Baston said.

Companies that are reactive in their mindset aren't leaders in their industries and struggle to maintain momentum, putting their long-term survival at risk.

Baston explained how strategic planning is essential to Tri-C's future growth. The College involves all its stakeholders in the process, including employees, administrators, students and community members.

"Our current strategic plan sunsets this year, and we are in the midst of a process we call 'Vision 2030,' gathering data and feedback to craft a new strategic plan that will carry Tri-C through the remainder of this decade and beyond," Baston said.

Baston shares four lessons about strategic planning that were reinforced to the College during its planning process:

  1. Listen to your employees: Frontline employees have direct contact with customers and can provide valuable insight into changing trends and evolving customer needs.
  2. Listen to your customers: Markets are changing, and how customers interact with products and services will change. It's important to actively seek customer feedback and input that can inform your strategic plan.
  3. Find out the "why" behind the numbers: Knowing key performance metrics and balance sheets is different than knowing why and how they have changed. You might know what your balance sheet says month to month. But knowing why your numbers shifted is an entirely different process that can impact how you plan for the future. Take a deeper dive into your numbers and use your employee and customer feedback for context.
  4. Build in flexibility without losing your direction: Nobody has a crystal ball. You can plan for the future and, down the road, find out some of your assumptions were wrong. That's OK, as long as you are staying true to the foundational guiding principles you have set forth. Small-to-medium-sized course changes in your strategic plan are relatively You can be open to course adjustments and still keep the big-picture targets in view.

"Strategic planning is fundamental to any company that wants to survive and thrive," Baston said. "It's not always an exact science, but the more people you talk to and the more data you collect, the more you can do to make sure your company is set on the right path in the coming years." 

Read the entire column at sbonline.com.

Baston is a regular contributing author for Smart Business Magazine. Read his previous columns:

  • Nobody has a crystal ball, but you can still anticipate what's coming and prepare for it
  • Standing still equals falling behind, no matter how big your business
  • Podcasts are a great way to reach a large audience — if you use them properly
  • Cleveland as Ohio's career capital
  • Evolving your business to stay relevant
  • Cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit
  • Access to training is key to addressing national transportation shortage
  • Economic mobility drives more vibrant communities and economies
  • Defining the 'now' normal

May 06, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu

© 2025 Cuyahoga Community College
700 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

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