Strategic Direction.  CSM training brings a focus on results  that encourages management to view their jobs and their responsibilities differently.  Rather than responding to the myriad of tasks and duties that traditionally dominate leaders, CSM encourages executives to focus on issues and opportunities that present a distinct threat or opportunity, or where there is a great expectation for organization performance, or areas where they are underperforming.   CSM encourages agency managers to address those areas in which expectations fall far short of performance and to commit themselves to an agenda that takes agency planning very seriously, and to take aggressive action to implement the plan.

Once an organization has determined its strategic direction, a performance logic model can be used to determine what must be done to move the organization in that direction.  The performance logic model lays out an organization's plan on a single sheet of paper.  From this model, flaws in business logic as well as the necessities for success can be easily determined.  Resources are used to support enabling strategies, which in turn lead to operational strategies.  These are the specific performance achievements that are necessary to reach strategic goals and outcomes.  The strategic goals and outcomes lead to the establishment of the strategic direction of the organization.