By Michael Gidlewski

Planning allows you to articulate a clear vision of your preferred future, focusing on those areas that are important to you and to your business. That clear vision allows you to set goals in the direction of your preferred future. That vision provides motivation, energy, purpose, and direction. It certainly helps you to communicate with the people around you.

Many business owners complain of not having enough time to accomplish their goals. However, we consistently see the problem being a lack of direction and not a lack of time.

In far too many organizations, attention is centered on day-to-day operations, and leadership focus tends to be directed by situations and circumstances. The leaders of these organizations are usually involved in daily operations, putting out fires and handling one crisis after another, and have difficulty focusing on anything else.

This type of focus diverts attention from organizational purpose and achievement of the company’s most important goals.

Also, the smaller organizations think they cannot afford the “luxury” of planning and development. Reality, however, shows that smaller organizations benefit from planning and goal setting more than larger organizations.

When the human resources of your organization are stretched to their limit, the only avenue to improvement is developing untapped potential through a system of goals. The clearer you are about what you want to achieve in your organization, the higher the level of motivation to achieve your goals will be.

In larger organizations, leadership focus may be inconsistent, bureaucratic, self-serving, departmentalized, and so on. This is why it is so important in large organizations that planning and strategy have the focus of top leadership. A culture of leadership support for planning and strategy is vital to the process.

The effective organization is directed by a results-based leadership culture focused on “What Really Matters Most.” Planning and strategy are the result of a continuous planning process directed and supported by top leadership.

On Wednesday, Dec. 5, I will be hosting The Swift Kick, a half-day program at Penn State Great Valley that will enable business owners, CEOs, and entrepreneurs to gain clarity, define their focus, and improve their results. Click here to register.

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Michael Gidlewski is President of West Chester-based Achievement Unlimited, Inc., as well as a growth catalyst and motivational speaker. He works with motivated business owners and entrepreneurs to clearly define the elements of what they dearly want their businesses and lives to look like, then helps them connect all the moving parts that make up those visions to consistent action and habits. Michael can be reached at 610-793-6609 or via e-mail at michael@achievable.com.

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