The Messy Middle: How to Navigate Conflict and Make Decisions in Strategic Planning
- Kristine Goebel
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Strategic Planning Series | Part 3 of 4
By now in our Strategic Planning Series, we’ve looked at:
Part 1: Why strategic planning matters (and what you miss without it).
Part 2: Who should be in the room.
But what happens once everyone is gathered together?
Here’s the truth: the middle of a strategic planning session is where things can either fall apart or come alive.
When the ideas start flowing, so do disagreements. Conflict shows up. Priorities compete for attention. It’s messy, it’s human, and it’s where the most important work gets done.
The Value of Healthy Conflict
Conflict isn’t a bad thing. In fact, productive conflict is a bonus during strategic planning.
When handled well, it leads to:
Innovation and fresh ideas
Honest conversations that break through surface-level thinking
Stronger buy-in because every voice is heard
But when conflict turns destructive (i.e. criticism, avoidant silence, yelling, or one voice dominating), progress stalls. Unhealthy conflict wastes time, resources, and trust.
The difference isn’t whether conflict happens. It’s how you navigate it.
A Framework to Stay on Track
This is where structure matters. Our Strategic Planning Facilitator’s Guide outlines a simple but powerful flow that keeps conversations moving forward:
Download – Gather information, celebrate wins, and capture focus areas.
Discussion – Open dialogue, let every perspective be heard, and capture ideas.
Decision – Prioritize what matters most and commit to clear next steps.
Do – Assign ownership and ensure accountability after the meeting.
👉 Knowing which part of the agenda you’re in helps redirect conversations without shutting anyone down.
Decision-Making That Works
Strategic planning is about decisions. Here are keys to effective decision-making in the room:
One owner per goal. Every goal needs a single person responsible for making sure it gets done.
SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound. No vague promises, only clarity.
Prioritize. You can’t do everything. Narrow it down to the top 3–5 goals for the next 12 weeks.
Without clear decisions, the plan won’t survive past the meeting.
Why This Matters
The “messy middle” of conflict, discussion, and decision-making is where strategy becomes real.
Teams that avoid conflict miss out on innovation. Teams that embrace productive conflict and follow a clear decision-making process come out stronger, more unified, and more agile in the face of change.
That’s the foundation of a plan that actually gets implemented.
The Next Step
If you’re gearing up for your next planning session, ask yourself:
Do we have a framework for navigating conflict?
Does everyone know how decisions will be made?
Are we ready to walk out of the room with clarity and ownership?
If not, it’s time to equip your team.
Ready to Master the Messy Middle?
Whether you want to DIY with confidence or have an expert facilitator guide the process, we can help:
Do It Yourself → Grab our Strategic Planning Facilitator’s Guide with redirect scripts, agendas, and templates to keep your meeting productive.
Work With Us → Book a Discovery Call, and we’ll facilitate your strategic planning session so you can focus on vision while we manage the process (and the people dynamics).
✨ Next Month (Part 4): We’ll wrap up the series by tackling the most overlooked piece of strategic planning—how to keep your plan alive through accountability and rhythms of review.