By: Jim Horan
Reviewed By: Glain Roberts-McCabe
The Premise: This easy-to-follow handbook turns the annual planning process into something that is – dare we say – enjoyable. Self-directed worksheets and exercises that you can do individually or (more powerfully) with you team or an executive coach, break the sometimes daunting task of business planning into manageable pieces. And, the end result – a one page plan – makes it easy to convey your vision and direction quickly in our time-starved workplaces. Although aimed at entrepreneurs (who are notorious for having short-attention spans when it comes to formalizing their visions onto paper), the majority of the exercises in the book are easily adaptable for the corporate set.
The Bottom-line: As a corporate executive, I often found business/strategic planning retreats and the process itself to be unnecessarily excrutiating. Too many personal opinions, too little process and don’t even get me started on the differences between goals, objectives, strategies and tactics! Don’t be put off by the fact that this book is languaged for entrepreneurs. If you’re currently tasked with formalizing a team vision and set of annual objectives, then it’s worth a look. The tools in the workbook are easy to use and lend themselves well to team discussions. The book also comes with a CD Rom packed with worksheets that can be shared with others in advance. And, even if you don’t have to present a formal division or department plan to higher ups, the thinking process required to complete the exercises are definitely useful tools to create alignment and shared vision within any team.
