Prioritising fundamentals
When?
Align to work patterns and business flow
For timely decision making in pursuit of short, medium and long-term outcomes
Who?
With any individual needed to deliver on shared priorities
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Leader
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Team Member
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Parteners
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Colleagues
Define the problem or opportunity to clarify the ambition
Break down the ambition into a set of SMART objectives and desired outcomes to validate the reasons for taking action and determine the measures of success
Define key milestones, as visible as possible, to guide the sequence of actions, track progress and navigate through any risks or opportunities to achieve success
Success is more dependent on adding value to the business than delivering to a highly detailed original plan
How to plan more pragmatically
For leaders to effectively plan and implement on ideas that will add most value to the business they need to master a balance of divergent and convergent thinking processes to test assumptions and validate ideas.
Define the problem or opportunity
Respond with the best solution
DISCOVER
Explore the problem through research and creative thinking for a wide view of ideas and insights
DEFINE
Review the ideas with more objective thinking to establish a clear definition of the problem or opportunity
Divergent
Convergent
DESIGN Brainstorm and generate a wide range of possible options to respond to the problem or opportunity
DEVELOP
Objectively assess, build, test and refine the best solution
Divergent
Convergent
Manage the pipeline
Agree the process for managing and prioritising the full pipeline of ideas
Based on the Design Council’s Double Diamond Design Process
Only then establish SMART objectives
Specific: Have you described what needs to be achieved as clearly as possible?
Measurable: How will others know the extent to which each objective has been met?
Achievable: What better words can be used to keep commitments actionable and realistic?
Relevant: How do the objectives help deliver on business priorities?
Time-bound: What is the time frame for achieving each objective?
Prioritising action practice
1| AMBITION | What needs to happen?
2| OBJECTIVE | Why does it need to happen?
3| MILESTONE | What will progress look like?
5| OUTCOMES | How will success be measured and celebrated?
4| ACTION | How will it happen? By when? By who?
“Outcome thinking is the most effective means available for making wishes reality”
- David Allen
High performing leaders need to deliver on 3 needs when making decisions. Consider a current decision that you need to make. How will you balance all 3 needs?
Task Needs
TASK – what needs to happen, when and how so the team can contribute, check progress and adjust plans?
Team Needs
TEAM – how will you establish and nurture team standards, habits and communications to collaborate on tasks?
Individual Needs
INDIVIDUAL – what does each person need from you, as their leader, to perform their tasks better? Coaching or directing, recognition or feedback?