From Working Leadership Online on the subject of Planning.

Question:
I see the guidelines for creating a vision, but it seems a little far-fetched. Actually, I think most vision statements are far-fetched. They are too vague, or too warm and fuzzy. They describe a world that doesn’t exist.

Response:
Exactly, a world that doesn’t exist. Planning is about creating the future. And you are right, most vision statements are too vague. A vision statement should describe a specific point in time and should be detailed, rather than vague. Whenever I write a plan, my vision statement is often the longest part of the whole plan. It is detailed in its description of how things look and how things work. The more descriptive the vision, the easier the rest of planning steps flow.

“That fixes accountability between you and your team, but who will I hold accountable for the Goal?”

Gordon nodded and smiled. “Me,” he said quietly.

“Even if the reason we didn’t achieve the Goal was a defect in the team’s Action Plan?”

Gordon was catching on. “Yes, as the Manager, even though the team comes up with the Action Plan, I have to approve it. And, as the manager, if there is a defect in the Plan, a missing step or an overlooked contingency, it is my responsibility to challenge the team until the Plan is one that will work.”

“This takes time, and often, we have go slow now, so we can go fast later.”

“Something else important happens, when your team creates the Action Plan,” I continued.

Gordon was listening.

“You set the Performance Standards. But if you also create the Action Plan, and the Plan fails, between you and the team, who is accountable? The team comes back and says, -Yes, boss, we did exactly what you said and your Action Plan failed. Not our fault.”

Gordon was still listening.

“Or, you set the Performance Standards. And the team creates the Action Plan. And, now, if the Action Plan fails, between you and the team, who is accountable?”

“You have a team meeting,” I describe. “Someone has to talk and it’s not you, because no one listens to you. So, who talks?”

“My team?” Gordon answered slowly.

“Yes,” I nodded. “You describe the essence of the Vision and the Performance Standards. The team sets out the Action Plan.”

“But my team may not know what steps to take and besides, it will take too long to get them all to agree,” Gordon protested.

I nodded and smiled. “I didn’t say that your team would get there quickly. Sometimes you have to go slow now, so you can go fast later. You need your team, involved, engaged, thinking, solving problems and making decisions. You are not going to get there by telling them what to do.”

Gordon was skeptical, “But, what if I am not getting what I want?”

“If you are not getting what you want, then you are asking the wrong questions.” -TF

“Okay, here is what I want to happen,” Gordon explained. His description was thorough. He painted a good picture.

“I can see your vision,” I replied. “How do your people see this?”

“That’s the problem. I think I explained it well, in the memo I sent out, but they don’t seem to get it. For some of my team, I don’t even think they read it, and I get a little heartburn from that.”

“So, you haven’t figured it out, yet?” I asked.

“Figured what out?” Gordon’s head tilted.

“As interesting as I think I am, I finally figured it out. Nobody listens to me. As interesting as you think you are, nobody listens to you.”

“But, I’m the boss! They have to listen to me.”

“Gordon, you have a kid at home, right? Do you, as the parent, have the authority, at dinner, to demand that broccoli be eaten?”

Gordon sat up. “Well, yes I do.”

“But your kid has the power to determine whether broccoli will, in fact, be eaten.”
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There’s a lot of valuable information in this course that isn’t easily available elsewhere, and the coaching from Tom in addition to accountability for actually carrying out the assignments makes for a solid learning experience. Keep up the good work. The online format makes the course accessible, and makes it easy to put into practice directly in a work environment. -Erik LaBianca

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Mar 16 – Planning – Creating the Future
Apr 6 – Delegation – Ultimate Leverage
Apr 27 – Control Systems and Feedback Loops