Planning sets the stage for new thoughts and ideas and gives us a path to perform better and achieve our goals! I am a planning fanatic: some say I go overboard in planning. While this may be, if you want to create a lifetime pattern of success, make a lifetime pattern of excellent planning. I have realized in my many years of management that if you don’t plan, you simply don’t achieve what is possible. So it follows that if you don’t have time to plan, you have already failed to achieve excellence. And if you don’t start with an excellent plan you will not attain excellent results! Pure and simple.
Be sure to make planning fun! Most say to start with your goal; I say your first goal should be to make a great plan!
Many of your goals will be given to you by your organization heads: Build your team, improve revenue, cut costs, etc. You should rarely, if ever, make a plan alone, so share your goals with your team. You have smart people around you: include them. People commit to what they own and it’s your job to ensure everyone in the room owns this plan. I would recommend a dedicated group that does not think like you, to bring fresh ideas and thoughts. And always remember to be open minded.
It’s important to establish exciting, measurable goals that are achievable. It’s vital to communicate to your team regularly and acknowledge each person for their excellence. Everyone, not almost everyone, enjoys being recognized for their good work! Stay focused on the plan and do not let the urgent get in the way of the important.
Make it fun, make it exciting. You can only do this by involving everyone!
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