A mentor once told me that "a good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow".
While reading this week's chapter, I kept that phrase in mind and realized that he was pretty accurate. Chapter 5 describes the benefits of good planning. It also explains the pitfalls and how planning is not a solution for all organizational problems. I was very interested in learning about how Nike was able to meet their 5 year (40% growth) objective by developing a good retail and apparel business plan. I can appreciate how choosing an effective strategy can enable you to achieve a goal since I think of myself as a good planner. Williams describes several benefits to planning, however I believe that persistence is the greatest one. Planning encourages persistence regardless of odds, talent, education and lack of resources. Persistence alone can help you stay in a course of action in spite of struggle or resistance. In the past, I have found myself managing difficult projects through countless hours using absolute persistence. In the end, the payoff was significant since the plan was well organized and our team never ceased to labor.
To achieve a successful plan, it has to be done correctly otherwise it can have the opposite effect. This can result in harming the performance of an individual and organization. One of the pitfalls of planning mentioned in this chapter is that it can impede change. For example, General Motors GM developed a great strategy for big cars with a lot of horsepower. However, because they were refused to modify their plan to keep up with hybrid technologies, they missed their initial opportunity to embrace environmentally sound cars. Because of their late start, their competitors gained a head start and GM failed to capitalize in this new market. Based on this information, I am curious to see what you feel are the greatest benefits and or pitfalls of planning? Do you consider yourself a persistent planner determined to meet any type of goal? Are there times when planning has deterred you from innovation and creativity? .
