Leadership Systems are #1
Nothing is more important, or has a bigger impact on the performance of your business, than your leadership system. Somebody has to lead the way forward – and that person is you. Have you ever had an employee lead the way to dramatic lasting improvements to your business? It can happen, but it’s rare. There is a better, faster, more sustainable strategy and it starts with your system of leadership.
Leadership is showing the way forward. What better way to do this than with a written action plan that details where the business is headed and where it plans to be in twelve months.
Written action plans for businesses are like blueprints for a house. Would you take action and start digging holes, stacking blocks or nailing boards together on your new ‘Dream Home’ without a detailed plan or blueprint? Of course not! You wouldn’t start construction until all the key elements of your vision were planned, reviewed, amended and committed to.
Take this same approach to your ‘Dream Business’ and use written action plans. Top performing businesses do.
The key point is that written action plans describe your intentions with specific and actionable steps. These steps lead your business forward, towards your vision. It works best when you share these plans and they become part of the culture of your business.
Written action plans are incredibly empowering:
- Leaders are able to confidently articulate where the business is headed.
- Accountability systems can be implemented for the leaders that created the action plans.
- Responsibilities, authorities and accountabilities can be put into place for all key staff.
- Progress can be measured on a quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily or hourly basis.
- Necessary adjustments can be identified and implemented much sooner than without the plans.
- Additional opportunities that arise during the year can be realized upon.
If you currently do not utilize written action plans are you willing to change your beliefs regarding how impactful these plans are for your leadership system and your business?
“Stop setting goals. Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.”
Stephen Covey