STRATEGIZE: What is your mission?
Is your strategy consistent with your mission? Are resources available and up to the task? What is the risk of
success or failure? What is the current and future state of the market? What is the opportunity? It is very important to have an honest and objective understanding of available / current technology, business pratices, competition, and market. Make sure your mission is current, your strategy is consistent with the mission, and your company is committed to success.
PLAN: Almost every
company takes weeks of valuable times each year to create and maintain their 3 to 5 year plan even though most of
these companies find it difficult to forecast sales for their next month of business. 
If you have credible and reliable 1, 3 and 6 month sales forecasts and resource allocation plans, you
will not only improve business performance, but you will develop confidence in your longer term planning.
EXECUTE: A VP once asked me for help because his company was typically 50% late and 100% over budget in product development.
An unrealistic plan, often masks an organization's real execution capability. Successful execution requires a challenging and achievable plan, capable resources, workforce ownership,
empowered decision makers, strong leadership and a common driving force.
ASSESS: Often companies act as if
they only have one bullet. Unless that is the case, I recommend looking at S.P.E.A. as an iterative process. A couple of early tracer rounds can provide very useful
information that may help you get on target earlier. You may also find that the target is out of range,
it is moving faster than originally thought, it is well fortified, or possibly that it is a sitting duck.
Shoot often but not carelessly! Significant change seldom happens in one shot/step.
