Balancing Act

Lets face it; planning can be a little daunting. And it doesn’t really matter what kind of plan you are creating. Many people just skip the planning process because it just feels too difficult. Others will attempt to create a plan and then find out that there are things that just weren’t considered. We professionals have a fancy term for this scenario. We call them gaps.

So how do you make sure your plan doesn’t have any gaps? Find out after the jump.

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As we have said in the past, planning is best viewed as a dynamic process. Circumstances change, objectives shift and there really is no such thing as a one size fits all plan. So while the plan is good to keep you and your business on track, it is important to recognize that your plan is only as good as your last review and the modifications that you make to keep the plan relevant.

So you first want to make a list of your goals. You do know what you want to accomplish, don’t you? This may seem like a silly question but you would be surprised at how many people can’t answer the question “…So, what do you want?”

Now that you know what you want you need to ask yourself some questions. In essence, your plan needs to address six basic questions for each goal.

1. What tasks need to be completed?

2. What is the significance of these tasks? What is the value of these accomplishments to your goals?

3. How much time do you have to accomplish these tasks?

4. Where are you at this moment with respect to your stated objectives? This form of taking inventory is important to knowing what else needs to be done.

5. Who is responsible for completing these tasks? Be careful to make sure that everyone one involved understands their role and what is expected of them. This prevents surprises and loose ends at your completion date.

6. How will these tasks be completed? This is a great opportunity to outline how each part of the process will help to achieve your goal.

Now beyond answering these questions for each of your goals you also want to take into consideration possible variables. The goal is to be generally prepared for potential challenges.

A word of caution….don’t let planning and particularly this part of the planning process prevent you from taking action. It can be very tempting to try to take into account every possible variable. This is a mistake because there is always something that you didn’t think of. After all, the whole point of the plan is to make it easier to get to your destination. The plan is not intended to prevent you from getting there.

With your goals clearly defined and these questions addressed, you will be ready to put your plan into action and realize your goals. Oh and remember to mind the gaps.

To your success!

Jason