What is the Plan? The Importance of Business Planning

and Goal Setting

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Melissa Evans-VP of Motivating The Masses-

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Clearly an action plan to pursue a business or a career opportunity is more often than not a case of dealing with many, many unknowns. Plans, as they say should not be set in concrete; not in sifting sand. But we all need plans. The human condition is such that most people require structure, a sense of purpose, a clear direction. They also express the mission, the underlying "reason" to be doing what you're doing.

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A plan is often complex but it need not be. Simplicity and elimination of unnecessary steps should be guiding

principles. Typically, people learn by taking action and then take corrective action in developing a basic model or

prototype.

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First, and foremost we need a short-term plan and a rhythm that sets the tasks for all involved in the business. Each successful business has a certain 'rhythm' about it. There's a strong sense that people are busy but not chaotically busy; that things get done within the context of a master plan. The long term plan addresses the question "where do you want to be in five years?" What will the business look like? What are the metrics that make up this long term business goal? Create the picture, down to the detail (number of people, location, and the like).

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The rules? The first rule is: don't put limits on your goals.

The higher you aim, the higher you'll go. To quote Werner Von Braun, the early developer of the space rocket, who

said, "Man belongs where man wants to go."

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Business planning needs great flexibility and business leaders who have their sights on the 'big picture', the long term goal, will invariably be willing to respond to setbacks, with an attitude of "what can I learn from this?' This is something that great medical practitioners attest to. Doctors learn about the patient and their disease when they apply their skills to the situation. There would be no learning if they did nothing. Commodity traders make plenty of mistakes but they learn from their mistakes and move on. Business planning is like any discipline: it's a learning 'curve'.

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There is little doubt that successful businesses are the product of a successful mindset. This is something that is challenged every day in business. Every setback is an opportunity to continuously improve an aspect of the business. The role of the business leader is to:

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- Identify weaknesses and take action to correct - To be relentlessly persistent about improving procedures - to stay with the goal but also try new approaches. - Understand and appreciate that there is a good side to every situation. - Accept that every setback is a lesson.