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Rachel Autherson

make the right move - week 1

Plan: 'A scheme, programme, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective'

MANAGING A TEAM without a plan is similar to going shopping without a list - invariably, you will forget something essential.

However, many young or recently promoted managers think they can get by without working out a medium- to long-term plan.

They may feel unsure of their direction or lack the confidence to look too far ahead. Consequently, they feel happier focusing on immediate tasks and problems, and prefer not to think about future challenges.

But a manager's essential responsibility is to achieve results through others. And to do that it is vital to know and explain what you are trying to achieve.

Without proper planning, the individual skills and combined talents of the team will not be fully used.

Also, there is a risk that the manager will be more easily distracted by comparatively minor day-to-day issues, or will begin to focus only on the more enjoyable aspects of the job. In such circumstances, important priorities and necessary tasks will be overlooked, and opportunities missed.

The first step is to establish whether your company has a formalised business plan. In many organisations, managers are required to complete an annual budget in conjunction with a business plan for the year. This process instils a discipline and usually provides a format and guideline for what needs to be considered.

Prepare a formal plan even if your company does not require one. The best place to start is by defining what is required of you as a manager and what objectives your team is expected to achieve. Only then can you decide on the methods and activities needed to get there. So, clarify your team's objectives with a more senior executive and be proactive. Fix a time to discuss things, come up with suggestions, and recognise that every company wants to see change and progress, not 'the same as last year'.

Consider the strategic goals of the business and the latest trends and developments.

If the company's aim is to be seen as an employer of choice, take this into account in your planning. It might mean changing your department's recruitment process, or cutting down on overtime to allow staff to have a better work-life balance.

Be practical in assessing how such factors may affect daily routines and what the financial implications will be. If changes are involved, link them to specific goals.

By not having a formal plan, you are opening the door to avoidable problems. You will appear disorganised, last-minute requests will be harder to deal with and subordinates will have less confidence if your decisions seem to be made on a wing and a prayer.

Remember, too, that maverick managers rarely do well in the long term.

Once you have looked at your team as part of the bigger picture, the next step is to examine dispassionately how well they are working at present.

If they did not achieve last year's budget or performance goals, find out why. Look for reasons, not excuses, and identify which systems and processes are working well and what needs improvement. Then decide if additional resources are required and which skill sets must be upgraded to accomplish new objectives.

Plenty can be learnt from a basic Swot (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. When doing this, do not forget to ask team members for their views about how to do things better.

With all that input, you can pull your ideas together. It will be possible to set clear goals, support them with specific and attainable action points, assign responsibilities and fix deadlines.

Any list of goals should include tangible 'must haves'. These are usually determined by business imperatives and may include productivity targets, expected sales revenue, cost reductions, or agreed increases in employee headcount.

There should also be some less specific 'nice to have' objectives. Achieving them will make the job easier, contribute to team morale and increase productivity in the long term.

During this exercise, also set goals which build on the strengths of your team, while addressing weaknesses and competitive threats.

The next step is to break down the broader goals and make them relevant to each person's day-to-day work.

It helps to have milestones or interim goals. They can be reviewed every month and make it easier to monitor what progress is being made towards each objective. Not everything will go smoothly, so plan for contingencies.

The key to making a business plan work is open communication and gaining buy-in from those involved.

We will deal with this in more detail in a later  article but, for now, bear in mind that the more you consult with your team in advance, the more they will support you later.

After all, most professionals have a certain built-in resistance to just being told what to do and want to feel they can make a real contribution towards shared goals.

Young managers often think that time spent planning could be better spent on the job, or meeting with customers. They are not used to stepping back and taking a long, hard look at what other people are doing.

There is also an initial tendency to focus only on what is familiar.

Thus, a former marketing executive, now promoted to department manager, will happily go through all the details of an upcoming advertising campaign, but keep deferring a meeting with the chief accountant about ballooning expenses.

However, a manager cannot hide and must give each issue due attention. That comes from recognising how the different parts contribute to the whole.

With a well thought out plan in place you will be in control and far better able to face the challenges ahead.

When your team knows what is expected, it will remain focused, enthusiastic and committed to giving its best and helping the business move forward.

Article sponsored by Drake International, Hong Kong - a leading supplier of permanent and contract recruitment, human capital management and leadership consulting services

The SMART way of business planning

Specific Increase the sales productivity of each team member by 10 per cent.

Measurable Each team member will deliver 10 per cent more than last year's sales revenue, month by month, for the whole year.

Acceptable Revised goals will be discussed and agreed with each team member. They will sign off on the agreed target at the beginning of the year as part of the performance management process.

Realistic Potential obstacles, development plans and required resources will be discussed and agreed on within the performance management process. Managers should review the efficacy of systems and make changes as required. Specifically, they should ensure the sales management database and other information used to assess performance is up to date and functioning properly.

Timely Individual targets and action plans to be agreed on by the end of January. An initial review should be conducted by mid-March. Adjustments or revised targets must be agreed on and in place by the first week in April.



Be sure to know where you are heading