Let’s start with a functional definition of planning: A basic management function involving formulation of one or more detailed plans to achieve optimum balance of needs or demands with the available resources.
The planning process:
- identifies the goals or objectives to be achieved
- formulates strategies to achieve them
- arranges or creates the means required
- implements, directs, and monitors all steps in their proper sequence
The goals that you set for the previous year might still be valid, yet your plan to achieve them is most likely null and void. So many of the outside forces that factored into your original plan have been highjacked. You need a new plan that has built-in flexibility to deal with the unknowns that lie ahead.
Many business owners struggle with the fact that planning, unlike day-to-day business operation, is not something that they can effectively do by themselves. An outside facilitator like ECA is ready to ask the important questions that will help with forecasting the next steps to be taken. You may need ideas for sustainable expense reductions, along with inspiration for making changes to your lifestyle while building your wealth. New updated plans – contingency plans – are a must. If goals are not set, they will not be achieved. We can work through this together. You need to plan. Next, you need to implement the plan.
When ECA facilitates the planning process, several questions are asked of the leadership team. Why do you do what you do? What are the values of your team and company? Who are all of the professionals assisting in the process? What is the current status of the situation or organization? What outcomes are we seeking? When will each phase of the plan and activities start and end? How will we measure our success? How will we accomplish the tasks, actions, tactics, strategies and objectives? What resources are available?
From there we clearly write out the plan, including specific timelines and accountability assignments. Potential obstacles are stated so we can address how these might be overcome.