Plan. Plan. Plan.
Adam Payne • 24 May 2021
There are those that WING it and there are those that PLAN.
There are those that WING it and there are those that PLAN.
The old cliché “Proper Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance” is absolutely true.
For me, Strategic and Tactical Planning, Business Planning and Action, whatever you want to call it, is one of the best tools and techniques to get the most from your Time, Money, and Resources, simple as that!
We have 4 Areas, Strategy, Process, People, and Systems
(yes there are multiple categories, Finance, Purchasing, Operations, Quality, etc..12 in total I use), but they all fall into these four areas for me.
- Strategy – the way we think and plan.
- Processes – the way we operate (functional areas).
- People – the way we lead and develop.
- Systems – the way we interconnect.
You could add a fifth in there if you’re looking for growth which is, Cash.
If you image these four areas, Strategy, Processes, People and Systems
as a four circle Venn Diagram, then the midpoint would be classed as Execution or Action, the discipline of Business Excellence. All these are our Inputs into the business, they are in our control. This for me Systems Thinking.
When we achieve this Business Excellence, our Outcome(s) are Customer and Employee Satisfaction, Growth and Innovation, Sustained Profitability.
The results come from the discipline you apply into taking action, the stats below show how many businesses really fail at this.
- 97% of Business Have a Vision
- 80% Have a Clear Strategic Plan
- 52% see slight Success.
- 33% see Significant Success.
The 33% master the discipline of ACTION, managing the Who Does What, by When. Measured and Reviewed.
Those that plan Succeed far better in two main areas than those that don’t, Growth and Funding.
Have a listen to Simon and myself discussing parts of
Strategic and Tactical Planning, and if you'd like to know please do get in touch with us
‘here’
Manufacturing SMEs often think about governance only when preparing to sell. Here’s why private equity firms look at board structure first, and how to build sale-ready governance early.
In manufacturing, yes-people can hide costly problems. Learn how boardroom challenge and an external NED can uncover blind spots, improve decisions, and protect profit.
Stop relying on generic marketing buzzwords. Learn how technical SMEs can translate operational features into buyer-focused outcomes that build trust, reduce risk, and win more contracts. Read now!
Ditch vanity metrics! Learn how technical SMEs win profitable work by tracking the 4 KPIs that actually matter: enquiry quality, conversion rates, pipeline value, and response times. Read more!
Master AI search for manufacturing! Discover how Generative Search Optimisation (GEO), schema, and trust signals help you attract top engineers and win more contracts. Read our complete guide.
The Power of Radical Candour: Why Honest Feedback Is the Kindest Thing You Can Give Your Business
Stop relying on heroics. Learn how to document your first Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to clone your genius, remove bottlenecks, and scale your technical business.
Stop running your strategy on guesswork. Discover the 3 metrics that prove your vision is becoming reality. Move beyond "gut feel" to hard data and build the business you dreamed of.
Hate sales? Discover why education-based marketing is the ultimate strategy for technical SMEs. Lear
Could your business survive a month without you? Learn the warning signs of founder dependency, why it destroys your company's value, and how to build a business that can thrive on its own.