YOU DON’T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR GOALS —YOU FALL TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR PLAN

man in white long sleeve shirt writing on white board
Q3 starts in 3 short weeks, which means it’s Quarterly Planning time again.  Planning is a vital opportunity to step out of the whirlwind for a day and work ON your business.  Intuitvely you know that this is important and that it will help your team move faster and be more successful.  While you’re in the whirlwind it seems hard to justify the time – there is, after all, a whirlwind that consumes you.
The Top 3 Reasons to Do a Plan, and 3 Keys to Get You Off To a Fast Start:
  1. Planning gives your people a roadmap – the fastest path to success.  Have your people ever told you they are overwhelmed with trying to get everything done – they feel like they need more tools, resources and staff to get the work done.  What you see is that their efforts aren’t moving the needle on growing or gettng your company to the next level.
    It’s not that your team is lazy or doesn’t care – they just don’t have the roadmap.  It’s kind of like when you put your destination into Siri and expect to get the fastest path to your destination,  That’s what a plan gives your team.  So instead of driving through pastures and around cornfields, they’ll get on the super highway.  They work on the right things in the right order.
  2.  Planning de-mystifies your situation.  When things aren’t going like you want them to, you tend to “dive deep” and analyze what might be going wrong, and in the process, over-complicate everything about your company.  Having a roadmap and plan, starting with the numbers that drive your business, de-mystifies it.  You’ll see what’s happening very quickly and be able to either build on a small success or course-correct.
  3. A clear roadmap lets you talk about your company with your trusted network and prospects. Ever try to talk with someone about your company and stumble?  You only get one chance to get people’s attention and get them interested enough to take a next step.  Don’t waste this opportunity – you’ve worked hard to get on their radar in the first place!  Your plan – your roadmap – lets you talk with your network and prospects with clarity and confidence.  They’ll understand where you’re headed, why it’s important to them, and be ready to take the next step with you.
Three Keys to get off to a fast start.
  1. Decide on your time horizon – we do 5 years, 12 months and 90 days.
    This might sound silly, but you’d be surprised at how common it is that people co-mingle and try to handle high-level strategy in your 90 day plan.  A good rule of thumb:
    5 Year Plans (ie. Strategic or Succession) – look at industry and tech trends, what’s happening with your workforce, how valid your Unique Selling Proposition and brand promise are over time.
    1-Year Plans – look at goals that are 12 months out.  What are the resources required to reach this year’s goals?  Are you staffed properly?  What systems need to be implemented or re-implemented to reach those goals?  What threats or gaps do you need to mitigate – what’s the plan for those?
    90-Day (Quarterly) Plans tend to be more tactical – who does what by when, this quarter, to reach your goals? In general, you’ll have time to get one or two big goals done in a quarter – the rest of your time is consumed by the whirlwind.  Use a forced matrix to help determine priority.
  2. Let the numbers show you where your biggest opportunities are.
    Your numbers are your friend – they tell you exactly where to focus your efforts first.  If you’re in growth mode, do you need more leads, to get better at converting leads, or providing more higher-value services?  If you’re in succession mode, how well does your team do at driving the business when you’re not there?  Your 5 Point Proven BluePrint will tell you exactly what to do next.
  3. Put it on a calendar.
    Research proves that when you put something on your calendar, the odds of you doing it go up dramatically.  Have a calendar just for your Quarterly Plan.  Put it on the wall for all to see.  Have a weekly standup meeting to review progress, mark completed tasks and celebrate wins with your team.  A big, visible calendar keeps your roadmap front and center for your team.
Want to learn more? Check out your planning resources at https://www.makemoreworklesswi.com/businessplan. As clients of The Benefit Works, you get significant discounts!
Susan Thomson, CEO and Licensed Coach
ActionCOACH Business & Executive Coaching
Proud Member of TEMPO Madison
Direct: 608-441-5374
Email: susanthomson@actioncoach.com
MakeMoreWorkLessWI.com