Lecture 3: Plan, Plan, Plan

• P is for planning, and planning is something a manager absolutely must do.  

• Planning takes time, and is a road map guiding your path.  Without planning an organization will flounder.  

• Strategic planning determines what direction your organization is heading in and what the next move will be.  

• Planning requires evaluation. Using a PEST and/or a SWOT analysis will help evaluate your organization.

Planning focuses on:

1. Mission: the why?
2. Vision: the moral, ideal place the organization wants to be
3. Goals: how to achieve the Mission 
4. Objectives: strategies for attaining goals
5. Action planning: the who, what, and when 

WHY PLAN? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

• Provides a realistic goal;
• Communicates the direction of the organization;
• Creates an effective environment for using resources;
• Makes progress measurable;
• Defines the purpose, values, and direction of an organization;
• Looks at the bigger picture.

 (Credit: Dave Hallmon, 2011)