There is a good portion of managers who say that planning is a waste of time and that it's best to “get your hands dirty” right away. However, whoever developed this thinking certainly did not follow through with strategic planning, in other words, they forgot about the action plan.
The action plan is the strategy turned into actions, in activities that allow the company to reach its objectives. Without it, planning really doesn't make much sense, because it remains just an idea, a desire to achieve something.
Putting a wish, a strategic objective into practice isn't always very simple, but there are some basic steps for you to create an effective action plan. Shall we find out what those steps are?
Focus on one goal at a time
Your company doesn't need a single action plan. It needs several, one for each goal you intend to achieve. In this regard, it's worth identifying a single objective at a time, breaking it down into goals, and creating a unique action plan for each goal.
See how to fully break down the goals
Adopt a methodology
You can develop an action plan in several different ways. It all depends on your company culture and what tools you are willing to use. A very simple tool that can help create your action plan is the 5W2H. With it, you answer 7 essential questions for any action plan:
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- Who?
- How much?
- How much does it cost?
This way, you practically have your problem identified and what is needed to make your idea a reality.
Be realistic
For your action plan to be effective, don't dream too big. Be realistic, analyze your journey so far, and project your achievements realistically. Set performance metrics, define challenging yet achievable goals for them, and finally establish the action plan to achieve them.
Download the ebook on performance indicators
Define deadlines
Every action plan must have a schedule with deadlines to be met, otherwise, you will have another task list that may or may not be completed. The schedule serves as a guide for people to know when they should carry out their activities and to identify the interdependencies between one activity and another. For example, your company cannot make a new investment without raising funds, therefore, one task depends on the previous one.
Distribute responsibilities
Unless you are creating an action plan for an individual goal, such as career advancement, for example, you will likely have more people involved in executing the activities. In this case, be sure to distribute and communicate each person's responsibilities, as well as deadlines for each to contribute their part.
Encourage communication
To move your action plan forward, don't hold back information. It's best to share everything that's being done with your team so everyone has an idea of how much is left to reach the goal. Kanban is a great visual tool for project tracking, as you can use few resources and still have very efficient communication within the team.
Monitor
The last step is to monitor all activities and check if the schedule is being met. Holding a quick, 15-minute meeting every day before work begins can help eliminate doubts and align everyone's expectations around the common goal. Setting performance goals for each person involved also allows you to stay firm in your purpose.
Strategic planning and action plans must always go hand in hand for you to have effective results. So define your work methodology right away and start your action plan now!
