Strategic Review

Carrying Out a Strategic Review: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders

Introduction:
In today’s fast moving, complex business environment, leaders rarely get the chance to step back and take a clear-eyed look at the bigger picture. A strategic review creates that opportunity, it enables organisations to align priorities, challenge assumptions and focus on what matters most. At ARETE Advisory, we use a practical, insight led approach to help businesses unlock clarity and action.

1. Why Carry Out a Strategic Review?

Because growth without direction leads to confusion. Whether you're scaling up, facing market pressure, or simply overdue a reset, a strategic review helps you:

·       Reconnect your mission with today’s market reality

·       Identify operational blind spots

·       Prioritise actions that create real value

2. Our Approach

We’ve developed a structured framework that balances insight, engagement, and action. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Internal Research

We review core business documents (plans, org charts, marketing activity) and conduct interviews with key stakeholders to understand how aligned the organisation is around strategy, culture and priorities.

Step 2: Strategic Workshop

This is where clarity emerges. In a focused in-person session, we facilitate group work using tools like:

  • SWOT – Internal strengths and weaknesses, external threats and opportunities

  • PESTEL – Broader market and environmental factors

  • Ansoff Matrix – Growth options through products and markets

  • MOST or OKRs – Aligning Mission, Objectives, Strategy, and Tactics

We adapt tools to suit the business challenge – not the other way around.

Step 3: 100-Day Plan

From the workshop, we draft a short, sharp action plan. This focuses on what needs to be done, by whom, and by when. It creates accountability without complication.

Step 4: Prioritisation & Support

We hold a follow-up session to agree priorities and plan the support you want from ARETE in the early stages of delivery.

3. PESTEL: A Simple Framework

Here’s a quick guide to the PESTEL tool we often use to explore the wider landscape:

·       Political – Government policy or regulation that affects you

·       Economic – Market forces like inflation, interest rates or customer spending

·       Social – Changes in demographics, expectations or behaviour

·       Technological – Innovations disrupting or enabling your sector

·       Environmental – Sustainability, climate or supply chain resilience

·       Legal – Compliance requirements, employment law and contracts

Final Thought

A strategic review shouldn’t be a once-a-decade event. It should be a healthy part of business rhythm – something leaders do to stay sharp, focused and ahead of the curve.

Want to run a strategic review with your leadership team? Get in touch with us to explore how we can help.