No one can deny that planning is critical to success. While I personally thrive in an organizational culture of creativity and entrepreneurial thinking, eventually, if you want to get things done, you have to have a written plan. Still, planning can be very tedious and many people are just not comfortable operating in unstructured environments thinking about intangible concepts. They just are not wired that way.
As we roll into December, you may well have your 2012 operating plan ready to go. Good for you! However, for those of you who detest planning or just have not found an easy way to get it done, I have a suggestion for you.
I recently read a terrific book that walks you through the planning process from mission, vision, values, right through specific, detailed action plans. It is without a doubt one of the best how-to books I have ever come across. It is entitled The One Hour Plan for Growth by Joe Calhoon.
The author promises you can develop a plan on one sheet of paper, and he’s right. He demystifies the planning process by asking you simple questions and keep you on track with a clear road map so you always know where you are in the process. I highly recommend this book and hope you will give it a try if you have found the planning process daunting…
And, if you’d like some help with your planning, give me a call and let’s talk.