If I had to pick one activity, habit or tool that would be the most significant thing a business could implement to get powerful business results, I would say it would be the habit of goals. And, by “habit of goals”, I am not referring to the habit of setting goals.
I am talking about the habit of setting powerful, focused goals and implementing a system to monitor the progress and deliver on these goals.
This is why I use one page tools like the Strategy Summary to clearly define where my business is going and to measure progress against these targets. I have seen businesses and non-profits alike make stunning progress in their market space simply by focusing their leadership and their staff on their most important objectives and reinforcing these priorities each and every day.
I recently uncovered a tool that is similar to the Strategy Summary but more succinct. It was created by Greg Brenneman. He used this tool to align businesses that he has been involved with as they stepped through some critical periods in their history (Continental Airlines, Home Depot and Burger King to name just a few). He called this tool his One Page Plan.
The “One Page Plan” That Delivers Results
Brenneman created the One Page plan to clearly and succinctly define the goals for his business on one simple page. He took a page of paper and divided it into 4 quadrants (one quadrant for each business cornerstone). Then he set an overall target for each of these areas as shown below;
- Market – what is the overarching goal for market growth
- Financial – what are the primary financial targets and the growth goal for the business
- Product – what is the overall goal for the business’ service and/or product
- People – what is the primary goal with respect to culture and people
Brenneman then defined the top 3 to 5 actions that were necessary for the business to achieve the overall goal for each area. These goals and actions are recorded on a simple 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper and provided to every leader person in the business. The leaders knew what they had to deliver and the whole business knew how and what they were contributing to the effort.
This focus and alignment across the organization is powerful and results in powerful business results.
Take Action
I have created my own version of this One Page Plan that you can download from my website. It is complete with Brenneman’s “five steps for every business” on the backside of the plan.
First of all, take some time out of your schedule this week and download the One Page Plan (located under the Business Tools tab in the Operations Engine section). Then complete it for your business and begin tracking your goals and actions at every level of your organization.
Also, review the following related posts which may provide some additional insight for your strategic planning:
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.” Jim Rohn
Tell us about your experience with business planning in the comments below!
Download a free copy of my new Ebook: 12 Steps to Business Transformation. If you would like a business assessment to help kick off your business transformation, contact me at info@thinkingbusinessblog.com or at 587-227-5179.
Be sure to sign up at www.thinkingbusinessblog.com for weekly blog updates delivered to your inbox.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.