Bridge the Critical Gap

Not getting this information sent to you directly? Sign up for your FREE monthly Smartmanager newsletter today.   Sign up now! 


How to Bridge the Critical Gap Between Planning and Doing

Why Does the Planning Versus Doing Gap Exist So Often

Can you relate to this scene? Senior management has scheduled the annual strategic planning meeting at a wonderful hotel or resort. All of the “rainmakers” and company superstars attend. Along with good food and camaraderie, you participate in wonderful and exciting brainstorming sessions and, after a couple of thought provoking days, your group emerges from the well-appointed bunker with an ambitious, dynamic strategic plan for the coming year’s operations. Unfortunately, less than one month later, few new strategies have even been discussed and none has started to be implemented.

There are a number of real-world reasons that this situation repeats itself so often. However, good reasons or not, the gap between planning and doing is, at best costly, and at worst terribly damaging to your company’s ability to succeed. Some of the reasons for this gap are well known and quite common:

• After returning to the workplace, there are numerous “fires” to be put out, taking valuable time that could otherwise be used to implement new strategies.
• After downsizing or reductions in force, additional job duties have been delegated to remaining staff, leaving little time for strategic plan implementation.
• Personnel issues that cannot be handled by the H.R. department are taking so much time to resolve that new plans cannot be initiated.
• In a bad economy, staff is focused on saving the business they have, not implementing growth strategies.

These are only a few of the things that inhibit implementation of strategic plans. It's unfortunate that this gap exists so often, but understanding the reasons for it and admitting that these disconnects happen is an important first step in bridging the morass.

How to Bridge the Planning/Doing Gap

Most experts would probably agree that the simple, one word answer for an effective bridge of the planning and doing gap is "leadership." Without effective leadership, spending the time and money to create plans that are intended to lead your company into new successful areas may be simply a waste of valuable resources.

To help foster the leadership quotient and instill a commitment to implement your plans, consider one or more of these suggestions.

• Consider your plan as a developer considers a blueprint for the next building. Can you really picture a builder or developer totally disregarding their blueprints, putting them in the back of their truck, and trying construct a property on the fly? Probably not. Approved plans are like a builder’s blueprints. These are printed documents that specify how a project is to be built and from which you should not deviate too far.
• Make a commitment to overcome built-in inertia. Inertia (the tendency of a thing at rest to stay at rest, and a thing in motion to stay in motion) is one of the most powerful forces in our universe. Overcoming it is difficult and takes commitment. Make that commitment to bridge the gap from planning to doing.
• Get as many employees involved in the doing as possible. Remember that a typical strategic or other planning meeting includes only a limited number of attendees. As supportive as these people may be, it will normally take many more employees to make these changes happen successfully.
• Attempt to create more leaders within the company’s staff. Giving other employees, at all levels, the ability to grab the brass ring of leadership might create more effective allies in the effort to move from planning to doing.

For many years, a common criticism of many companies centered on their lack of effective planning. Management listened, and over time agreed that “seat of the pants” activity provided few new successes. Consequently, most companies now regularly plan for growth, product development, financial activities, and strategic improvements.

To eliminate the void that often exists when trying to make these plans a working reality, leadership is the critical ingredient. Leadership will often provide the spark to move to the doing phase, which is the most important factor. Be that leader – the human catalyst who turns excellent plans into successful operating results.

Sign up for your FREE monthly Smartmanager newsletter today.   Sign up now!