Why do I have to have a plan? Doesn’t spontaneity make for a much more exciting and rewarding work and life experience? Aren’t you just setting yourself up for potential failure and disappointment if you do not reach the expected goals in your plan?
All good questions.
On the business / non-profit side of life - it is imperative to have a plan, no doubt about that. Starting with a long term vision and working down into bite size goals and objectives, all businesses and organizations must have a strategic plan for their future livelihood. But where does one start with a strategic plan?
So glad you asked.
Vision
All good questions.
On the business / non-profit side of life - it is imperative to have a plan, no doubt about that. Starting with a long term vision and working down into bite size goals and objectives, all businesses and organizations must have a strategic plan for their future livelihood. But where does one start with a strategic plan?
So glad you asked.
Vision
A long term vision for your organization allows for one of the most dependable and exciting future goals to work towards. It’s the energy behind your go forward motion. Think about the reason you started your business or perhaps the reason you were attracted to your non-profit. Now take that idea and multiply it by 100 and put it out there – way out there. A long term vision should not change every time you reload your strategic plan. It should be the one thing that remains consistent for a long period of time. Create it, believe in it and rally around it.
Mission
Mission
This is the “how” of reaching that long term vision you set. Perhaps you believe that reaching your vision of being the next Toys R Us will happen by selling only innovative toys. Then in 5 years, you decide that you need to add an institute for learning how to build innovative toys to your offering. Your mission gets stronger over time as your organization changes.
Note: there is a lot of confusion around the words Vision and Mission. Some companies only have one or the other. Some flip flop between the meanings of both. Just think about the words – vision means outlook, foresight, idea and mission means purpose, objective, calling. If your Vision is to ensure that one day every single human being will reach for available food to eat, your Mission may be to provide all elected officials with the tools necessary to lobby your cause to the big guys.
Goal
Note: there is a lot of confusion around the words Vision and Mission. Some companies only have one or the other. Some flip flop between the meanings of both. Just think about the words – vision means outlook, foresight, idea and mission means purpose, objective, calling. If your Vision is to ensure that one day every single human being will reach for available food to eat, your Mission may be to provide all elected officials with the tools necessary to lobby your cause to the big guys.
Goal
The next part of your plan is your first measurable – and much shorter term than that long term vision you set. This goal sets the initial pace for the rest of your plan. Perhaps you would like to set a 3 year goal to work towards because you know it will take you 3 years to reach IPO status. Presto! It's just that easy. You have just set a clear timeline / measurable to reach for your company / organization.
Note: the word “goal” is very loosely used today. Be careful not to use it so loosely that your team loses sight on what the actual vision, mission and goal is of your company / organization.
Objectives
Note: the word “goal” is very loosely used today. Be careful not to use it so loosely that your team loses sight on what the actual vision, mission and goal is of your company / organization.
Objectives
In order to reach that goal you set, you now need to work on what the objectives will be to get you there. Now, this is where most people get a little crazy and create 15 objectives to work on at the same time. Don’t forget to be simple and realistic. Start with 3-5 big objectives and work on those. Once you have accomplished them – then reload your plan with new objectives. Don’t worry – they will all be worked on, just give yourself a little breathing room – and celebrate your accomplishments once in a while. You deserve it.
Milestones / Actions / Timelines / Accountability
Milestones / Actions / Timelines / Accountability
This is the day to day. As simple as all of the rest of it sounds, there is a ton of work to be done within those objectives. A few major things to point out here – milestones allow for smaller wins along the way. Actions can be set up in a workload management tool if necessary to keep good track. Timelines are key to setting clear expectations for deliverables and keeping the entire organization on track. And that nasty word “accountability?” Unfortunately, as much as we all hate to embrace it – it also allows for the setting of those expectations. C’mon – cowboy up – you can do it.
And there you have it – a strategic plan for your company / non-profit. You have created energy, purpose and measurements to celebrate within those office walls.
But wait. There’s more.
Believe it or not, individuals can use this same approach to life planning. Think about it. Put a few sexier words in bold if you want, follow the same parameters and you are on your way to working towards your own personal vision of retiring at the age of 47. It’s that simple.
Next up on “Reality Check” – communicating the plan.
And there you have it – a strategic plan for your company / non-profit. You have created energy, purpose and measurements to celebrate within those office walls.
But wait. There’s more.
Believe it or not, individuals can use this same approach to life planning. Think about it. Put a few sexier words in bold if you want, follow the same parameters and you are on your way to working towards your own personal vision of retiring at the age of 47. It’s that simple.
Next up on “Reality Check” – communicating the plan.
Life. Embrace it. Own it. Live it.
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