If your organization is to go anywhere you must think about the future. Don’t get yourself so busy doing the work that others can do that you neglect developing a long-range plan.
When you plan, you deliberately look ahead, select a goal, and think out ways to reach that goal. When you plan, you also prepare for both opportunities, and for difficulties.
Essentials of a Good Written Plan
1. Written Description of the Goal.
Spell out exactly what you want to do and when. Describe your goal not only in terms of activity, but also in terms of desired results.
There is power in writing things down. Your brain is convinced that it will happen because you have written it as so. On top of that, writing down your goals keeps them at the forefront of your brain. If you are creating goals for your team, it’s important for them to see those goals. They will be motivated and focused in order to accomplish what you have set out to do.
2. Description of Sub-Goals.
You do not reach your goal in one giant step but by a number of smaller steps. The written plan should describe all the smaller goals that must be reached to help you achieve your major objective. As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
It can be easy to be overwhelmed by goals. The best way to beat that is by breaking it down into smaller goals that you can achieve on your way to bigger goals.
3. An Established Time Table.
Your plan needs to contain a time table, which means each sub-goal needs a date. The plan should give a “start” date and “finish” date for each sub-goal.
Having a set deadline will encourage you to keep pursuing your goal. It can be easy to fall into procrastination or simply just saying “someday”. However, that “someday” will never come. Get started on your goals today, and set deadlines!
4. List of Resources Needed.
The plan must contain a list of resources needed to achieve your goal. These resources include:
a. Financial. An estimate of the amount of money needed to reach your goal.
b. Human. The personnel needed to enable you to carry out your plan successfully.
c. Equipment. If special equipment or tools are needed, list them in the written plan.
5. Built In Check Points.
The written plan must contain check points to enable you to get reports on the progress of the plan. This can be identical to the sub-goals you set earlier. You may get to your third sub-goal and find that you need to re-evaluate your plan. You may find that you need to extend or shorted your timeline. Things will change, check points ensure you can recognize change when it needs to happen, not when it’s too late.
An effective plan is essential for your organization to grow and stay on track. If you enjoyed today’s post, I encourage you to come to my Business Mastery Workshop in Denver, Colorado on September 13-15. Click here to buy your tickets, and use code “EB2019” to get a discount!
