Enjoy this week’s guest post from Julia Aquino on How to Plan and not Panic, especially in unprecedented situations.
What would happen if I asked you to drive to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to pick up your $1,000,000 (yes one million dollars) – knowing the realization of your dream is just a drive away? You’d get in the car, right?
Now, what would happen if I asked you to drive to Cedar Falls, Iowa, without an actual address or a map or the name of who would give you the $1,000,000. It would make realizing your dream quite a bit harder, if not impossible.
So…what would actually happen is that you would most likely still get in the car and head in the direction of Iowa, believing that your excitement and drive will get you to Iowa and you will figure it out from there.
This is literally what happens when we don’t have a destination (Vision) and a Roadmap (Plan) on how to get there. And, in these chaotic, upside down times, a Plan is necessary to move us forward intentionally, to minimize the chaos and clarify actions.
Planning: Your Roadmap
A plan at this point may seem like a luxury. With so much unknown, we may believe that plans only work “in a perfect world”. However, there is no perfect world scenario. And, a TRUE plan not only outlines your path, but it also takes into consideration the potential obstacles, risks, and barriers that may exist on your path, so you can respond to them versus react to them when they show up.
So, how do we plan amidst so much unknown? By focusing on the known…
A good plan starts with the end in the mind. That’s the Vision or the destination (in our simple illustration, it was the $1,000,000 in Cedar Falls, Iowa). The Plan is the map to get you there.
In Planning, the Vision is the most important first step. It answers the question of WHERE you are headed. And, in our companies, being able to articulate that Vision will create buy-in and get everyone on the same page, rowing in the same direction. Getting clear on the Vision allows you to pivot, when needed, and to take meaningful detours when required. So, your Vision is integral to the success of the plan and the activities of your employees (or yourself). If you don’t know your destination, how can you ever get there?
Next, planning requires Goals. Those are the milestones on your map. You know that as you meet the goal, you are that much closer to the Vision. Goals must be SMART Goals. You may have heard the acronym before…and you may have used SMART goals in the past. For your reference, here is my definition of SMART goals:
S – Specific
M – Measurable and Meaningful
A – Accountable, Actionable, and Aligned
R – Relevant and Reasonable
T – Time bound
Executing the Plan
Once you’ve defined your SMART goals, you must next define HOW the plan will be executed, which is as simple as defining the tasks or milestones under each goal. Having a goal is not enough. Defining your daily, weekly, and monthly actions will create focus and intentional action towards achieving the goals. This is an integral step to success of the plan that many, if not most, never take the time to do.
Planning for the Unknown
In this world of the Coronavirus pandemic, it may feel like you are lacking control and there is more unknown than known. So, how do you plan or change plans, amid so much unknown?
The essence of a plan requires considering the unknown, while assessing the current, known risks and obstacles. Although most of us would not have had a “What if a pandemic strikes?” contingency in our plans, having a plan to shift into or come back to will allow for detours, while ensuring you have a path towards your Vision as your guiding light in the storm.
Think about it this way. In our Million Dollar story, on your drive, let’s say you laid out the perfect path to Iowa, and once you got to the main highway there was a big road sign that said Road Closed – Detour. That Detour will take you off your path, but if you follow it, you won’t get lost and eventually brings you back to your original path towards your vision, once the obstacle is averted.
It Takes Courage: Pivoting or Changing Directions
Sometimes the best laid plans don’t work out, even in the best of times. Now may be the time to scale back, turn around, or go in a new direction, if even for a short time. It takes courage, however, and it’s not always easy. Afterall, you’ve put your heart and soul into this business and changing directions or going backwards may not make logical sense.
That’s why planning, measuring results and assessing outcomes is so important. With that information, you can make more informed decisions. And, sometimes, especially in the space of the truly unknown, taking a few steps back may move you forward quicker than forging ahead without any adjustments. Even when it feels counter intuitive.
It May Not Be Easy, but it is Always Worth It
Plans are the map to our Vision, whether that vision is for 10 years from now or for tomorrow. The process of planning provides insight into the road ahead; recognizing where there may be detours, roadblocks, and speedbumps, and gives us the opportunity to respond to them when they show up.
A great plan allows us learning, to pivot, when needed, and gives us immediate feedback into whether our actions are relevant to our goals. Continually review the feedback and make decisions quickly, especially when staying still is not an option. Leaders make courageous decisions to detour, go backwards to move forward, or pivot – for the good of all.
This pandemic absolutely changes things and maybe makes it necessary, for today, to let go of your long-held beliefs about planning and strategy for the long term. The key, for today, is to NOT look 5 years ahead, but instead, look a week ahead, a month ahead and when required, plan just for today or tomorrow or the upcoming week. One day at a time may be all you can manage – and it is okay!
Julia Aquino-Serrano worked in the corporate world for over 25 years and has been consulting with companies for the past 10 years on developing effective strategic plans, defining and implementing scalable processes, and ensuring the right people are in the right roles doing the right things. Her work with these companies has resulted in millions of dollars of increased profit, stronger cultures, and happier employees. She is also a sought-after speaker, mentor, and author. Her Amazon best seller, She Strategy, was published in 2018. You can find her at AllSystemsGrow.co