Effective use of a Strategic Issue Management System (SIMS): combining tools and approach

Ideally, issue management can prevent an issue from becoming an actual threat. But in reality, a company or group should be prepared to face issues that threaten a change in their status quo . This paper discusses the authors' experiences with blending the right tools with the right approach to successfully address issues that are imminent. If the proper balance between process, interpretation and creativity is maintained, Strategic Issue Management Systems (SIMS) with their component tools can be used effectively to provide a more objective understanding of the issue and to shape a more effective strategic objective and tactical plan. Key components of the SIMS presented include: issue characterization, strategic objectives, force field analysis, stakeholder assessment, scenario mapping, key player assessment and SWOT Analysis. Each can be used independently, but this paper focuses on how, when used in combination, each can build upon the other and produce an obtainable strategic objective and targeted tactical plan. Although each component of the SIMS represents a stage in a process, the emphasis of the issue team should not be on completion of the process, but instead on what is learned from each stage and how the stages can then lead to a successful resolution of the issue.