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One cannot effectively build a business without a viable, workable, applicable business plan. Success comes from knowing what constitutes a winning plan and then what must be done to insure that the plan brings the results that are needed.
So, what is required for a “winning plan” to be developed; and, what must be done to insure that the plan has an opportunity to achieve the results the framer intended? I'm continuing with the last of the 7 attributes of a winning plan.
Seventh, a winning plan must be sustainable.
- Its viability is built upon year after year to better enable best practices as well as learning moments to be experienced.
- It cannot be necessarily forced but does demand full concentration and commitment.
- It also commands self-discipline on the part of the participants and a tough-mindedness that helps avoid pitfalls that can derail even the most utopian built plan.
Tom Landry was the legendary coach of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. When he arrived in Dallas as its first head coach in 1960, he put together a multi-year plan for the Cowboys to become champions. His first year of 0 wins, 11 losses and 1 tie was tough for the fans and owners as well as the team; but, with each passing year, he continued to build upon his plans and insert improvements that enabled the team to gain success. In 1966 Coach Landry led the Cowboys into the championship game though they lost to the Green Bay Packers. His sustainability of effort and building upon his plans year after year brought championships to the Cowboys to the point they became America’s team. His 29 years with the Cowboys and 20 consecutive winning seasons are records that stand today.
Winning plans win when sustainability is evident in their evolution and execution. Building on insights gained year after year brings value, knowledge and confidence that planning can and does work when the pieces fit together.
Proper planning does prevent poor performance. Planning does matter. It keeps us going in the right direction. You cannot successfully build a business without a plan. It gives a reason for doing what you do. As Victor Hugo once said, “He who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life.”
Just as the Cheshire Cat told Alice as she approached a fork in the road in Wonderland and asked which way she should go, “If you have no idea of the destination you seek, what does it matter?”
Planning makes a difference. When you understand what makes a winning plan work, and realize its value to your business and you personally; then, you can plan properly and gain the success you deserve.
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