I’ve been there and done that. I’ve spent hours creating and contributing to complicated corporate business plans. They are important work and every business owner should have a written business plan, but there has to be a better way.
The challenge I’ve faced as a leader, consultant and coach is how to execute consistently on a plan long term that is documented in pages of action items and deliverables. One of the productivity hacks I’ve started using is boiling the plan down to a one pager. Yes, those of you who have worked with me know I love a good one pager. 🙂 I’m a big believer in the back of the napkin philosophy.
I break planning into five categories.
1) Goals: What are my top 3-5 goals for 2020?
2) Critical Numbers: What are the 3-6 critical numbers I need to track in my business daily, monthly, quarterly and yearly?
3) Issues: What issues do I need to solve in order to hit the critical numbers in my business?
4) People: Do I have the right people around me to help me reach my goals?
5) Systems: What systems do I need to add or refine in my business so that it is running on process and not on memory?
Capturing this info on one page is powerful. Once captured then we can start the work of executing on the plan.
Here are some execution tips:
- Post your back of the napkin one page plan where you see it everyday. Don’t hide it in a computer somewhere to be forgotten about.
- Time block one hour a week to recalibrate. Review progress from the previous week and make adjustments to keep you focused on the right priorities in the upcoming week.
- Time block a monthly financial and operational review.
- Do quarterly check ins on progress and make adjustments.
- Celebrate your wins along the way. It’s not about perfection, it is about progress.
Action Items After Reading this Blog:
1) Download my back of the napkin 2020 planning template and get started on making 2020 not only your best year ever but the beginning of your best decade ever!
Wendy Forsythe 