Strategic Planning Helps to Avoid Dead Horses

Years ago when earning my Masters, I came across What to Do If You’re Riding a Dead Horse? (Source Unknown) and placed it into one of those "Save files." Recently when helping a business coaching client to understand the value of strategic planning, I shared these solutions with him.

10. Buy a stronger whip.

9. Change riders

8. Declare "This is the way we have already ridden this horse."

7. Appoint a team to revive the horse.

6. Ignore the horse … What dead horse?

5. Create a training session to improve your riding skills.

4. Outsource contractors to ride the dead horse.

3. Appoint a committee to study the dead horse.

2. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses

1.Harness several dead horses together for increased speed.

Native Americans simply answer this question with one word – dismount.

Can you personally relate to the any of the above solutions from your own experiences? Having a Masters in Instructional Design and Technology, my favorite is Number 5 - Create a training session to improve your riding skills. How many times have organizations created very expensive solutions that perpetuate the problem instead of tackling the real issues preventing business growth and a high performance culture?

Strategic planning helps to identify the numerous dead horses (that being the wrong courses of action) and then how to take action or make the necessary course corrections. Without a plan, the collective intelligence of the group will still insist on riding the dead horse because that is what they know and feel comfortable doing. For the human brain does not embrace change, plain and simple. See Solutions 8 and 6.

If you truly desire to grow your business, begin with an executable strategic plan that is supported by a disciplined process of personal accountability to ensure that your people are consistently executing your plan. Of course, you could ignore the sage words of the Native Americans and "harness several dead horses for increased speed" to achieve business success.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. is a business coach and executive coach with offices in Indianapolis and near Chicago. She writes, speaks and coaches people in businesses to quickly double or triple results through the creation of an executable strategic plan along with the necessary leadership skills "to pull it off." One quick question,Have You Spent Thousands on Your Plan and Are Frustrated by the Lack of Results? Then, take a risk and give me, Leanne, a call at 219.759.5601 to learn how our process of personal accountability ensures that your people are consistently executing your plan. Visit www.processspecialist.com/ and explore everything from free articles to connecting with Leanne.

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