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Action Time

Action Time

When meeting with clients I often ask for a look at their current business plan. In many cases I see the manager/owner reach up to the highest shelf, blow the dust off and say, “here we go, our business plan.” Sound familiar? Strong business plans take an enormous amount of time and resources to develop, therefore it seems ludicrous that we would simply file this most precious tool away to be forgotten.

Once the stage of setting goals and developing strategies has been completed, it is time to set in place the “activities” within our strategies. This is a “process” and is not difficult when the time is taken to do so. As a starting point, work through each area of the business; sales and marketing, production and operations, finance and administration. Use a whiteboard, butcher paper or the kid’s blackboard. Start with one section of the business by writing the broader strategies on the board that you have already defined. Then, systematically, write underneath each strategy, all the activities, describing them in detail (i.e. when they are going to take place, how much it will cost and who is responsible). This can be an arduous task, however at all times have the defined goals in full view. When listing the activities, ask yourself “is this activity in line with our strategy and will it assist in achieving our goals?” If so continue until all tasks have been listed. Make sure that all the listed activities are documented by using whatever technology is at your disposal.

As a reminder, the steps taken so far in developing our business plan include:
  • Setting yourself quantifiable and time specific objectives
  • Developing broad statements that become your strategies to achieving your objectives
  • From your strategies, define what activities must take place for your strategies to work

By Trevor Holmes CEO/Managing Director of ENACT Business Architects 1300 1 36 228


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