Previous Episode: Taking Action

So why should people in business plan? Because it helps you make better decisions. Planning is decision-making in a structured procedure. If you do not understand how planning can help you make good decisions, then you will not prioritize planning in your schedule. Once you see that planning will help you make better decisions and thereby experience better business results, you will prioritize time for planning. The elements of a dynamic planning process that provide agility occur with the revision of the plan and format of the planning communication with decision-making groups. All of the phases of the planning cycle (articulating values, setting goals, creating an action plan, taking action, monitoring results, and revising) should be on a format meeting certain requirements. Whether it be a software program such as Teams or simply a spreadsheet, all involved should be able to see the goal, the action to be taken, and the monitoring. Since the plan most likely will not predict the future, then the revision process answers the query, “why did it not go as planned?” Those answering should be all involved in the execution of the plan – seeing the goal and the results of the action. The planning process becomes dynamic when the format of the plan – the way the plan is communicated – provides the right information to the right people to make timely decisions as they are needed.