Last year at this time, I told my readers, friends and clients that I was following my own advice and making my Strategic Plan for 2004. I followed that plan and the numbers are in…Success.
In fact, I’m writing this from my balcony at the Athens Hilton, enjoying a picture postcard view of the Acropolis, illuminated and inspiring. No, this is not going to be a pitch for getting rich so you can enjoy such a vacation. But it is a footnote to my annual Strategic Plan that included increasing my European business. Now to be honest, I didn’t achieve everything I set out to do. I fell a little short in a couple of areas but, overall, the results were excellent.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because, I want to encourage you to get your own Strategic Plan in order so you can be successful. Whether you’re the CEO or a Project Manager, head of a department or a crew chief, without a Plan you can’t prepare for success.
But just having a plan isn’t enough. Execution is the key to success for any plan. Setting measurable milestones and examining the results help you face the facts and make realistic mid-course corrections.
“But I know all of this,” you say.
Of course you do! It’s not new. The problem is that everyone knows it’s important to plan but lots of folks don’t do it or don’t follow through. Where is last year’s plan? How did you do on each of your measurable objectives? What will you need to do differently this year to improve planning, tracking and results?
If you’re anywhere below the “C” level in your organization:
* Does your plan link into the higher level plan?
* Do you have specific, measurable objectives that contribute to higher level goals?
* Have you worked with the folks who report to you to develop their plans that roll up into yours?
* Does your plan help implement the organizational Mission?
* Can every employ describe how his or her daily work helps accomplish the Mission?
* Are all the plans aligned with the Mission?
* Do you and everyone else review the plans on a monthly basis, checking the actual results against the plan?
* Does everyone discuss lessons learned and use these to improve actual results and modify the plan?
If you’re a “C” level officer:
* Does your plan link to the other C level plans? Are they complementary?
* Do all executives have some interdependent targets that foster cooperation and focus on the company's direction?
* Have you made sure that each level below you has a plan that aligns directly with yours?
* Do the lower level plans roll up to yours?
* Does your plan help implement the organizational Mission?
* Can every employ describe how his or her daily work helps accomplish the Mission?
* Are all the plans aligned with the Mission?
* Do you and everyone else review the plans on a monthly basis, checking the actual results against the plan?
* Does everyone discuss lessons learned and use these to improve actual results and modify the plan?
"Lot’s of questions!"
Did you answer “YES” to ALL of them? If not, then don’t expect great results. You don’t have the basics in place. (Check out our FREE articles listed below for more details on strategic planning and execution.)
Wishing for success is not a strategy. Wishing didn’t get me to Athens, planning did. While I was there I also visited the Oracle at Delphi…as usual her words were enigmatic…So, it’s time to start executing this year’s Strategic Plan and looking at results, not listening to Oracles to fulfill our mission.
What is our mission at Advantage Leadership, Inc? Our Mission is Your Success. This means that everyone, whether our office staff or consulting team, takes actions that make our clients more successful.
For example, in 2004:
* We helped a client create a new strategic approach to selling that resulted in dramatic improvements in revenue and profit.
* We worked with another client to create and install a new systems development methodology that was acknowledged as a contributor to their SOX compliance.
Want to learn more…about successful planning and execution?
Check out: Success Planning: a ‘How-To’ Guide for Strategic Planning at our web site. http://www.advantageleadership.com/book.html
Or call us today to get your plan on track for improved profitability in 2005.
305-652-3466
CUDOS FOR PLANNING
Last January, I reported on my work helping a professional group develop its Strategic Plan. Just before we began work on their second annual Plan, I received this note:
“The South Florida Chapter has been recognized by the Project Management Institute as Chapter of the Year. When I spoke to them about the award, they said they were blown away with the Chapter’s Strategic Plan and will use it as a ‘best practice’ for other Chapters. The planning session you facilitated had a significant impact on the strategic plan development as it forced the board to identify areas of opportunities and focus on its core values and mission. The Chapter of the Year Award would not have been possible without this session and the strategic plan.”
-- Connie J. Maldonado, PMP, President,
South Florida Chapter, Project Management Institute
Want to help your organization plan?
Check our planning guide: Success Planning: a ‘How-To’ Guide for Strategic Planning at our web site.
http://www.advantageleadership.com/book.html
Or call us today to get your plan on track for improved profitability in 2005.
305-652-3466
CATCH US IN PUBLIC
Barb Patterson, one of our strategic partners, will deliver Inspections and Reviews and Project Management for Quality Professionals during the first quarter of 2005. Dr. Rebecca will deliver these seminars March 14 and 15 in San Antonio. Link up for details and check out the endorsement comments for on these seminars and "Build QA" and others we deliver: http://www.testinginstitute.com/stpw/
If you missed Dr. Rebecca’s Keynote, Requirements – the ultimate reality show, delivered in Orlando, Minneapolis and Toronto in 2004, you’re in luck! It’s available as part of our Requirements Gathering System.
Click here & Order now: www.advantageleadership.com/resources.html
Or call: 305-652-3466
Call now to bring us into your organization or book us for your next conference.
305-652-3466
Our column, “Stratitude,” appears in InFocus magazine. Visit their website, see my latest article and subscribe today: http://www.infocus-mag.com/
Our signature course, Managing a World-Class IT Department will be offered twice in 2005 at Management Centre Europe in Brussels: July 11 – 13 and December 19 – 21.
It's specially designed for newer IT managers (or as a refresher for experienced ones) and helps you take a more strategic, leadership-oriented approach to your success and bottom-line results.
Sign up today:
http://www.mce.be/events/viewEvent.php?id=1211
RESOURCES
Download our business building articles FREE:
Growing your entrepreneurial business without fear and loathing (Opportunity World, August 2004)
www.advantageleadership.com/articles
Or check out these free articles at Management Centre Europe:
The Do’s and Don’ts of Strategic Planning http://www.mce.be/knowledge/424/35
Change static job descriptions into dynamic performance plans http://www.mce.be/knowledge/420/27
Read about our best selling book: Success Planning: a ‘how-to’ guide for strategic planning
http://www.mce.be/knowledge/425/35
PLACES TO PURCHASE OUR BOOK, world-wide
SUCCESS PLANNING: a 'how-to' guide for Strategic Planning
* http://www.advantageleadership.com/book.html
* Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0972624503/qid=1100281369/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-8407277-8865634?v=glance&s=books
* American Management Association Bookstores: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco
* Management Centre Europe Bookstore, Brussels
* Mediterranean Management Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus
* Quality Assurance Institute: http://www.qaiusa.com/products/index.html
REQUIREMENTS GATHERING SYSTEM
We’ve just helped a large company gain SOX compliance by developing and deploying all of the software life cycle processes. This is the best way to comply with SOX AND meet your customers’ needs. That’s why I’ve put together the Requirements Gathering System with 3 components to get you improving requirements gathering, system success and customer satisfaction today:
** E-Book (CD): Provides in depth descriptions of the 8 Best Practices for Gathering Requirements that can be integrated into your methodology and technology
** 30 Day E-mail Mini Course: 30 guaranteed techniques to deploy robust requirements gathering
** Keynote (CD): Acclaimed, complete speech outlining the 8 Best Practices for Requirements Gathering, delivered to nearly 1000 people in 2004
Order today and install better systems tomorrow: www.advantageleadership.com/resources.html
Or call: 305-652-3466
Also available at:
* Quality Assurance Institute: http://www.qaiusa.com/products/index.html
* Mediterranean Management Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus
Get this valuable resource today and start improving your requirements gathering tomorrow, whether you’re putting on your SOX or going bare foot!
Contact us to help you improve your IT and software processes today:
305-652-3466 or Rebecca@AdvantageLeadership.com
Our Mission Is Your Success
"Dr. Rebecca” Staton-Reinstein, Ph.D., President
Advantage Leadership, Inc.
633 NE 167th Street, Suite 1015
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
PHONE: 305-652-3466
FAX: 305-652-3466
E-mail: Rebecca@AdvantageLeadership.com
Website: www.AdvantageLeadership.com
