We all know that planning is essential in order to achieve overall organisational and departmental goals, but many plans I see when dealing with management development are, quite frankly, not worth the cigarette packet they are written on.
So how do you make sure that, not only are your plans logical and well-defined, but also motivating and integral to the results you are trying to achieve?
Here are some strategic guidelines that will help you achieve those end goals that will make your planning effective and results-oriented:
1) Identify the overall objective. What exactly are you trying to achieve? What’s the end goal? Manage your goals like you would your sat nav; that is, set the overall destination first.
2) Carry out a SWOT analysis. Analyse the environment you will be working in, consider the strengths and weaknesses surrounding the project, identify the opportunities and threats and work on the resources that you have available to you.
3) Consider the strategies to achieve the end goals. The strategy should serve to complete the big picture by considering the opportunities that exist within the company. Think of the strategy as being the route that the sat nav comes up with.
4) Implement strategies properly. Evaluate and control people’s performances to achieve the goals. Communicate what needs to be done effectively and efficiently so that everyone is singing from the same song sheet.
5) Evaluate the results you have achieved. Are the results what you expected? What adjustments, if any, should be made for future projects?
Remember that your competitors will be working on new products, technological advancements will make current production processes obsolete, changing consumer trends will reduce demands for certain products and services, while building demand for others. So when you identify these ongoing changes, you will be able to make the necessary plans for changes in all areas of the business.
Many thanks
Mark Williams
Head of Training
Updated on: 2 March, 2012
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