[Editor's Note: In Issues for Growth Vol. 31, No.11, we asked the question, "Are there barriers blocking your successful growth and execution?" We then listed the Barriers to succesful Planning and the Barriers to succesful Execution.We are continuing a series of Issues for Growth where we will tackle each of these barriers and identify ways to overcome each. -dpm]
Overcoming Barriers to Planning and Execution
Barrier #2: History of abandoning projects
Over time, every organization will create barriers to success. The very things that made you successful as a startup or growing organization may prevent you from being successful at the next level.
Barriers to Planning Success
- History of only partially developing plans
- History of unreasonable expectations and unachievable goals
- Lack of internal understanding about customers, competitors, and the market
Barriers to Execution Success
- Gaps in management depth
- History of abandoning projects
- History of lack of openness and poor communications
- History of poor delegation and leadership development
- Lack of true accountability
Barrier #1: History of abandoning projects
Many business owners and senior managers are brimming with creative ideas. In some cases, each idea may have its own merits, but an organization can drown in a constant sea of ideas. Some organizations start many projects and directions, only to have them superceded by the next new projects. Some folks call it, "the CEO read a new book" syndrome.
So one quarter, an organization is headed in one direction, and then abruptly next quarter, there is a new, "better" direction. Some times it is the tendency to chase the next "shiny rock"; in others, it's listening to another business owner in a peer group that has a better idea.
The impact on an organization is paralysis. Managers and employees become conditioned that there will be a next new thing. So they duck down and wait for the current one to be "bow over" or be abandoned. No one gets seriously committed because they don't expect the direction or project to survive the test of time. No one can be expected to go above and beyond if they expect their efforts will never see completion. It facilitates a sort of "quiet quitting" or lack of engagement.
The result is at worst failure of the plan; at best, its execution is woefully suboptimal.
Overcoming this barrier is relatively straightforward - Going through a facilitated structured planning process can ensure that an organization has its bases covered before getting started with execution. We have found that organizations that develop 3 strategies - with clear action plans to achieve the desired result - are far more successful than organizations with 10 strategies.
Develop a "What we are not going to do now" list. The most difficult thing for many companies to do is prioritize. Even more difficult is to establish a list of projects or strategies that will not get done now, - and to stick to that list. Smart companies will insist that in order to take of the "NotNow" list, they must take something off the "Do Now" list.
Understanding the barriers to planning and execution is critical. Companies that have addressed the barriers are amazed at how much more their management teams are engaged and how the process energizes the entire organization. CEOs of companies that have had years of poor planning and execution history, find that their organizations are far more capable than they ever imagined of achieving superior results.
The Mead Consulting Group has helped many companies identify and overcome the barriers to successful planning and execution. Our Customer ForwardTMStrategic Growth & Execution process is simple and effective at uncovering the key obstacles and barriers and developing recommendations for improvement. If you would like to have a conversation about this, please contact Dave Mead at (303)660-8135 or meaddp@meadconsultinggroup.com.
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Best regards,
Dave Mead
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