Editor’s note: This column is the final entry in a three-part series focusing on planning.
Now that you’ve done your business plan, the next step is to create an action plan. The idea is to take the big goals and break them down into small, specific actions. Each action should have a deadline and instruction on who is responsible for making it happen and getting it done. Create a spreadsheet to lay out all the information.
Organize the goals in these categories:
- Owner
- Marketing
- Sales
- Design
- Estimating
- Production
- Administration
The order is similar to how a client experiences the company.
Make sure each goal is SMART, that is:
- Specific
- Measureable
- Actionable
- Realistic
- Timely
You don’t want to waste time with activity that achieves little or no results. Be sure to break down a big goal into several smaller ones that will add up to completing the big one eventually.
Prioritize the goals in each category. Do the ones in each category that will bring the most value soonest, once achieved. Once done, move them to the bottom of the spreadsheet so you can celebrate getting them done.
Put the plan up on a wall so your employees can share in the progress, and to create some sense of accountability. Keep private the few things that you might not want to share with everybody. Meet monthly with somebody who can hold you accountable and who you are afraid to disappoint.
When Nina and I worked together, we did exactly what I am describing. We would not have achieved the level of success we did if we did not follow these instructions.
Guess what? I always tried to get out of attending the monthly action plan progress meetings. I would look for the crisis of the day that meant I would not be able to attend. Nina would hold me accountable for attending the meeting, dismissing my protestations. One to two minutes into the meeting, I was glad she had done so.
By building the three plans (personal, business, action) in succession, you make success more likely. By paying attention to those plans on a regular basis, you make success a reality.