7 Ways to Make Plans that Work
The thing I hate about planning is the feeling that something is getting done. Planning is talking, not doing.
A collective sigh of relief at the end of planning sessions predicts disaster.
7 Ways to Make Plans that Work:
#1. Plans don’t work, people do.
Plans are about people. Where can your team take you? Don’t plan a trip across the Sahara when you have a group of go-carts on the team.
Everyone has something to do when planning meetings are done.
#2. Planning isn’t an event.
You plan a disaster if you rely on plans made annually. When circumstances change, plans must adapt. Are you in a volatile situation? Choose long-term mission – make short-term plans.
Course adjustments reflect agility, not failure.
#3. Focus on opportunities.
Avoid the pull of problems. Teams move backwards when problems control plans. How can you seize opportunities?
#4. Build on past performance.
Look to the past before looking to the future. The things that didn’t work in the past won’t magically start working this time.
Repeating failed plans isn’t grit.
#5. Know the reason.
The reason to plan is to create or keep customers. Peter Drucker wrote, “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer. The business enterprise has two – and only two – basic functions: marketing and innovation… All the rest are costs.”
#6. Focus on behaviors.
Any fool can set goals. The real question is: What will you do to accomplish them?
Progress is an illusion without clear behaviors. If you can’t describe the behaviors that get you there, what makes you think you’re going anywhere?
Short-term plans distill into behaviors.
#7. Schedule celebration points.
When will you recognize hard work, lessons learned, progress, and great results?
Tip: Never let people who aren’t doing the work make all the plans.
What makes plans work?
According to General Eisenhower, “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” The act of planning — when done well — prepares you for the moment that the plan goes off the rails. Which is generally about 5 minutes after you start implementing it.
Thanks, Jennifer. Powerful quote. Here’s another, “No plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the main enemy forces.” Helmuth von Moltke (1871)
And here’s another, “Everybody has plans until they get hit for the first time,” Mike Tyson.
Thanks for the inspiration.
In response to von Moltke, as Pogo said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Sometimes, we ourselves do more damage to our own plan than any enemy ever could!
Thanks Dan for the insight read, just bought your book, hopefully it comes in soon
This is timely. I especially appreciated “Progress is an illusion without clear behaviors.” Circular discussion with nodding heads and no movement are complicit in maintaining the status quo. The idea about annual planning sessions (i.e. strategic planning sessions) are useless if not moved to action. Thanks for this post, Dan.
Dan, I love your comment–“Planning is talking, not doing”
Mead Corporation had a 600 pound rock in the lobby. The former CEO, Seve Mason explained the rock was a metaphor to remind people what it takes to move the rock. Meetings and planning sessions to discuss how to move the rock may be useful. But the rock doesn’t move until some implements the plan.
Your thoughts are always helpful! Grateful for your work.
A question related to this post–What is your take on strategy v. plan in the context of business?
I think of them as related: strategy is the general approach while the plan is the specific steps to be taken. They need to be aligned or there will be problems.