If you ever have had to plan (and execute) a program that was supposed to influence tasks and duties across the company, than the following may sound familiar to you :

• everything takes much longer than anticipated
• capacities and capabilities are limited which is contrary to initial assumptions
• important team-members get re-allocated in the midst of everything
• not many truly care about delivering high performance in time
• key resources remain unavailable despite earlier commitment
• unexpected events interrupt the flow and an initially important project may even cease living

How to Change Your World by Planning ?

Planning is hard work, is group work, and nothing that can be delegated towards a single department or an individual. All togther

• Define the Goals
• Chart the Route
• Decide the Course

To effectively interweave all ideas, here is your

3+1-Step-Guide on Planning that Works

Plan with the group.

1^st, discuss the main goals for the project mandate but have all involved on any of the next steps. In order to gather your team together, everyone must have a fair opportunity to participate actively. It is important that all have a common understanding.

Involve various types of expertise.

2^nd, good routes should be determined and named. In order to unite your team as one, everyone whose expertise is required needs to become aware of the individual’s role, duties, and responsibilities, as well as of all interdependencies. Meticulously chosen names will raise the overall quality.

Let the community develop around the plan.

3^rd, define the milestones and draw and finish the outline. In order to integrate all proposals contributed by all participants and get the whole group involved in the conversion, use the spirit of cooperation and draw up on a milestone form which -at that stage-  is simply a matter of copying from the earlier idea collection.

Evaluate the plan

+ 1, upon completion, carry out an evaluation: Is the plan balanced? Does it have time needed for an operation? Is it logical? Is it suitable? Is it an overview plan? May you need more than one » plan ?

A Rule of Thumb

Approx. 80-90% of the time is devoted to discussions around content and problem solving; only 10-20 percent is formal planning.

How to ?

1. Use a flipchart and different colors, so everyone can see everything on large sheets of paper. Hang them up around the room, so everyone can easily keep a continuous overview of all ideas contributed by all participants.
2. Let everyone write down their ideas on post-its and position and move them as necessary. Illustrate points by moving the slips.
   
   
3. Use a whiteboard when you convert the milestone plan into an outline.

...and if the discussion goes a sideways, consider » moderation

Happy Forethoughts!

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