PSM #08: The Plan

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Podcast #8: The Plan is located here.

This podcast discusses plans and planning, offers 3 strategies for developing a plan, and suggests Pareto’s law applies to the planning process.

Please provide your feedback.

Notes follow.

Plans

Discussion with Vision statement
- really axle wrapped.
- merits own podcast
- Reflecting, I made it too complex
- This is Plain Simple Management
Simple Definition: A plan is a map to go from the current state to an end state
- One now
- Infinite thens
Current state: inventory of where we ae now
End state: where we want to be
- Yep., it is SMART too
How to develop a plan:
- Why aren’t we there now?
  - What are the obstacles?
  - Remove the obstacles!
- From now to then
  - Sequential progress from here to there
- Sometimes to far
  - Start at end and work backward
  - End at the present
  - the map is the reverse
Use the 80/20 rule
- 80% of progress comes from 20% of effort
- Do the inportant 80% first
  - 80% may be enough
- End states do change
  - competition
  - exogenous factors
    - Economy
    - Politics
    - Burnout
  - change in values: Mission, Vision Statement
Strategic and Tactical
- Seems it is a matter of time
- Short term are tactical
  - Less prone to external factors
  - Affected by internal factors
- Long term are strategic
  - More factors affect the plan
  - require larger scope of examinaiton
Another Definition: a sequence of tasks move the entity from the current state to the end state
Next podcast will talk about tasks
www.PlainSimpleManagement.com
Want your feedback
- please go to the website and comment

Originally published January 31, 2006

Craig @ January 31, 2006