This week in “10 Weeks to Supreme Productivity” you will begin to take action towards your vision by creating an action plan and implementing it.

In my previous blogs, covering the first three weeks in our “10 Weeks to Supreme Productivity” series, I discussed: (1) that your expectations affect outcomes and your chances at success; (2) that you need to create your desired vision of the future and write it down; and (3) that you then need to set clear, specific and measurable goals in order to succeed. In week #4 of this series, I discuss the next logical step: creating an action plan and implementing it. This is the part where your “talk” becomes your “walk.”

Week #4 Tip: Create an Action Plan and Implement!

Now is the time to set the specific objectives, strategies, and tactics you will use to use to achieve your vision and goals. People often start here, brainstorming and implementing ideas, without first setting a clearly articulated vision and without setting goals. That is a mistake and will engender a piece-meal, idea-of-the-day approach that will lack focus and effectiveness.

In order to create a proper action plan, begin with your vision clearly in mind, then set the broad three to five methods (objectives) that you will use to accomplish your goals. For example, four organizational objectives might be: “(1)We will provide the best customer service in the county among our competitors; (2) We will increase plant productivity by 30% over the next two years; (3) We will increase revenues by 20 percent per year for the next three years; and, (4) We will achieve a minimum net profit of 10% each year.”

Once your broad goals or objectives are set, you must set the strategies you will employ to meet each objective. For example, for the customer service objective, one of the 3-5 strategies might be: “We will respond in a timely manner to all customer inquiries.” Another strategy might be: “We will exude a friendly attitude to all we come in contact with.” Another might be: “We will customize our work to meet the individual needs of the customer.”

Next you must set the specific tactics you will employ for each strategy. These are the specific day to day actions that implement your core strategies. This is where concrete actions implement the vision. For example, for the strategy, “We will respond in a timely manner to all customer inquiries,” three tactics might be: “(1) We will answer all telephone calls by the third ring; (2) We will return all phone calls the same business day; and, (3) We will complete and return all bids within five business days.”

Finally, once you have developed your action plan, you must implement it! How many plans are created but never implemented? (Think about New Year’s resolutions.) Many organizations have great ideas but not enough people with the resolve and courage to turn theory into action. Be an implementer, not just a planner-dreamer. Focus on outcomes(achieving goals) and not just doing processes.

Assign responsibilities for the outcomes to individuals and make them accountable or nothing of value will ever come of your plan. The action plan is a living breathing document that should be incorporated into every decision you make, every day. Your action plan should be reviewed and updated regularly to maintain its relevance.

So, tip #4 is to create a complete action plan, assign people to be accountable for its implementation, and hold them accountable!

Next Week: “Understand the Hawthorne Effect.”