Making planning meaningful
I’m a planner at heart. There is no sense denying it. Whether it’s vacation planning or meal planning or strategic planning for my business...I’m all in. I love using a plan to guide decision making. If there’s a plan for a vacation, then we adjust our budget to make it happen. Creating weekly meal plans that fit the monthly grocery budget is usually a fun challenge (less fun during the past few months of inflation, and yes, my idea of fun might be weird).
The key to planning is making it meaningful for the members of an organization. A strategic plan has to be clear, practical, and understandable for everyong. Yes, it should create a clear path for navigating the future (isn’t that what a good plan does?), but if that future is not understood by the members of the organization, then the likelihood of a successful implementation is slim. Everyone needs to understand where the plan is taking them and how they are to contribute to its success.
What are the basics of a good strategic plan? Although the terms may vary based on the author or approach, the concepts are pretty universal. A strategic plan should have:
Mission, vision, and (usually) core values: These define the organization and its purpose and drive the planning process.
Goals and objectives: Goals are the big concepts, and objectives are the more “nuts and bolts” ideas you want to achieve. When someone reads a goal, it should make sense. Try to save the technical language for the objectives.
Metrics: Often called key performance indicators (KPIs), these are the measurements you will use to determine whether an objective is met. These should not be vague, ethereal ideas; rather, metrics are objective and measurable. Ask yourself, “how will I know when we meet this goal?” Then determine the measurements that will answer that question.
Person(s) responsible: Having well-written goals and objectives will not be helpful if no one in the organization realizes they are responsible. While many people may take part in the implementation plan to achieve an objective, this category highlights the people who are responsible for making sure all those people work together toward that end.
Timeline or due date: People need deadlines, so each objective should have a due date.
Eventually, for each of the objectives (or a subset of objectives, depending on the level of complexity), there should be an implementation plan. The people responsible for meeting the objective should have a key role in creating an implementation plan.
In larger, more complex organizations, these implementation plans may be broadly shared in order to support accountability and transparency. In smaller organizations, implementation plans should still be detailed, but they are often used internally within the area. Because implementation plans tend to be created at the level of those responsible, it is vital the members understand the goals and objectives. Those individuals should also be able to speak into the metrics used.
It's really the implementation plans that drive the day-to-day work. When someone wonders, “why are we doing this task?”, they can follow the flow from the more specific to the big idea. Here’s the flow: the task is from the implementation plan, which was formed to meet an objective, which is key to meeting a goal, which will, in part, meet the mission and vision of the organization.
Or from the big idea to the more specific: mission and vision inform the goals, which inform the objectives; then implementation plans are made by those responsible to ensure the deadline is met; and those plans include a series of tasks/work to be done.
The best plans are made in collaboration with individuals across the organization. When people are involved in the planning, they develop a sense of ownership, as well as a deeper understanding of the WHY and the HOW of the plan. They contribute from their unique perspective, experience, and position. Those involved will hopefully become advocates of the plan both inside and outside of the organization.
There are entire books written on this subject, but understanding the basics of the planning process is beneficial to everyone. While some organizations may choose and/or need a much more complex plan with many more concepts than listed above, this basic approach is a sufficient foundation of knowledge for most people.
If your organization needs a new or revised plan, I would love to help. Planning is my love language. Contact ABL Wise Consulting today.
pc: Patrick Perkins via Unsplash
