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Use These Effective Planning Techniques And Reap The Rewards
By Will Turner
Research indicates that one minute in planning saves five minutes in execution. That’s a 500% ROI! Isn’t it worth your time and energy to plan your activities? There are a number of steps that you can take to be more effective in planning. These include:
* Define the desired result. Ask yourself, “What is it that I’m trying to accomplish? What do I want the end result to be?”
* List every task and activity. Taking your time and detailing every specific activity will ensure that items aren’t overlooked. It will also make it easier for you to prioritize and figure out the proper sequencing of activity.
* Identify additional information needed. If you don’t have all the information you need to move forward or make a decision, figure out what you need to do, how you are going to get it and when you are going to do it by.
* Determine limiting step. What is the one area that will take the longest time? Where will you find the bottleneck in the process? The answer to these questions will help you determine your limiting step. Once you’ve identified your limiting step, you can take action to deal with it appropriately.
* Organize your project. Determine a proper structure for your project. Does it need to be organized in sequential order? Can multiple tasks be worked on simultaneously?
* Develop master action plan. A master action plan will allow you to determine all the tasks that need to be completed with dates for completion and assignments for who’s responsible. By reviewing the master plan against the actual performance, progress can be monitored and setbacks can be properly handled.
* Assign deadlines to all tasks. An assignment without a deadline is an exercise in futility. Deadlines will keep you and others accountable for the timely completion of your tasks.
* Examine potential crises. Remember Murphy’s Law. If anything can go wrong, it will. And it probably will be the most important thing at the most inopportune time. To avoid this type of crisis, develop contingency plans to work around potential obstacles.
* Schedule regular reviews. Monitor your progress and adjust your action as necessary.
© Dancing Elephants Achievement Group 2003