Planning and Execution

Many of us go through life not really having a plan. I have been guilty of this as well. What is your plan for your life? What is your plan for your family? What is your plan to achieve your goal? The first two questions are for you to really ponder and think about. The plan for your goal, it starts right now.

Questions to consider when developing your plan to achieve your goal:

What training will I need if any?
Who will need to assist me?
What resources will I need?
What roadblocks are associated with my goal?
How will I get through them?
What is my estimated time of completion?
How will I stay on task?

These are questions to get you started in developing your plan. You will more than likely have other questions that will need to be addressed as you formulate your plan. Your plan is your road map, treat it as such. Develop your plan to account for as much as possible. Foresight will be key so invest the time in thinking about what needs to be included in your plan. A sound and definite plan will have you on your road to success. The plan is actually the easy part of the equation. The hard part of the equation to success is execution.

Before we address execution, let’s recap about planning. Your plan should be well thought out. Attempt to account for all that will go right as well as what can go wrong. Now that your plan is in place, it is time to execute your plan.

Execution of a plan is the most overlooked component of success. Why would I say that? If people go through the trouble to create a plan, why would they not follow the plan? In my experiences as a Maintenance manager, I have found that plans are not executed because of three factors. First, the plan created may not have been a good, well thought out plan to start with. Second, the plan being executed by others was not followed because they did not believe in the plan. Third, the plan's execution was not followed up on by those that created the plan.

Now you may be thinking, what does that have to do with my plan? Your plan is no different from a company's plan or a department's plan. A well thought out plan has contingencies. It allows you to adapt. It enables execution to flow. A question suggested above was "who will need to assist me?" A plan that is collaborated with others who are essential to the execution of the plan is necessary. They need to know their role in the plan. They need to believe in the plan. When you have the buy-in from others about your plan, execution will flow. Perhaps the most important element of all is follow up. In order for you to know if you will meet your deadline, you have to follow up. Regardless of how well thought out your plan is or having the buy-in from everyone involved, not following up will hinder the execution of your plan.

Execution is the hardest part of achieving success. You must trust in your abilities and believe that your plan will take you to your goal. You must execute the plan. You must follow up on your plan's execution. It sounds easy. It is that easy. You have to be committed to achieving your goal. You have to be committed to not accepting defeat. You have to be committed to execution. Do these things and you will achieve success.