By Michael Gidlewski

In times of tumultuous change, great strategy and plans are needed to survive and thrive. Our strategy, vision, and plans provide a sense of direction and purpose for our organizations moving forward.

Strategic planning and critical thinking about your business and where it is going in the future is essential to your success. Organizations managed by a specific plan and strategy significantly out-perform less well-managed organizations of equal capabilities. Planning and strategy become a significant competitive advantage.

This is a simple but comprehensive message. Planning and strategy are fundamental to the competitive position of any organization. Planning is not designed to produce a plan. Planning is designed to produce results. Planning is what do we have to do today to be ready for an uncertain tomorrow.

Without a system of goals, your only motivation is survival. Without a culture of excellence, your only motivation is survival. Most CEOs and business owners think they are good at planning – however, it’s usually budgeting or operational planning. Without a system of goals and without the motivation of clearly defined goals, your people’s activities will tend to be reactive, random, and ineffective. They are driven to respond to the many fires and crises of the day rather than be focused on pre-determined, worthwhile goals and objectives.

The Bible says without a vision, people perish. If you don’t have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past. In other words, if you do what you always did, you’ll get what you always got. The clearer you are about what you want, the higher your level of motivation to achieve your goals despite the obstacles you will face along the way.

The preeminent thinker on management, Peter Drucker, said that “leaders have no choice but to anticipate the future, to attempt to mold it, and to balance short-range and long-range plans. It is not given to mortals to do well any of these things. But lacking divine guidance, leaders must make sure that these difficult responsibilities are not overlooked or neglected but taken care of as well as is humanly possible.”

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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