“So, it’s January 11, and you are all assembled here to present your plans for the year. First, I want you to know how unique this is. Most organizations, in spite of the push for planning, are still in the writing process and will likely never finish their plan. This means they will continue to run their companies without any strategic direction.”

This is my speech today to an executive group assembled for the sole purpose of grilling each other about their 2006 Business Plans.

“These companies will be subject to the whims of the marketplace. They will react as best they can without a plan. It’s like calling an audible on the football field for a play that only exists in the mind of the quarterback.

“It’s eleven days into the new year and you know what you want. Today, you will likely get beat up by this group. Tomorrow, you will be ready to present this plan to your teams back at the office. You are ready to lead.” -TF