LW61   Why plans Fail !

MEMORABLE PRESENTERS REMEMBER that failure to properly prepare and rehearse is the number one killer of presentations.

MEMORABLE PRESENTERS remember that for every one hour of delivery requires 10 hours of preparation. 

It involves research, writing out the presentation in full, reading it out loud and editing until it sounds right, rehearsing in front of a mirror, rehearsing in front of an ‘unreasonable friend’ [to understand what didn’t work well] and finally perhaps delivering at Toastmasters before delivery to your larger, target audience.

and now on to Leading Ways...........

Why plans fail

The bane of many of our lives is that we have great plans or ideas, and become absolutely devastated when our plans founder, or worse still, F-A-I-L.

Ironically, one of the primary reasons is that it was not the right plan in the first place.

Every situation is unique, and that is why many generic plans fail…. whether they are business or marketing plans, or personal plans in order to change some aspect of your life.

Generic plans will never work in every situation.

Without playing the “Blame game” it is important to find out exactly why the plan failed in the first place, so you don’t repeat the mistake.

Research

An obvious starting point, and clearly it is important to look at the source of your information.  Just because something is on the internet doesn’t make it credible.  It is just like assuming that all people as they get older are nice.

If you are seeking personal opinions, look at the source.  In relation to the background and opinions you are seeking, ask yourself  “Has this person been successful in this kind of endeavour?”

Arriving at the Correct Plan

You have now done the research and written your plan, but you still have no idea whether it will work.  Suggestion : Find a person or company successful with a similar plan – study what they did, and if possible get them to walk you through it. 

• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• What would they do differently next time?

Based on their input refine your plan, and lock it in!

Chunk it down

BHAG …… Big, hairy etc goals ………..do not work.  What does work, are small steps where you can see, and remain excited because of your progress.

Where is that person?

Yes, we are back to having an “Unreasonable Friend” or Mastermind Group.  If you would like my article on Mastermind Groups, please email me :  denis.orme@yahoo.com

Someone, or group you can meet regularly with, and not afraid to tell you if you are getting off track.  Additionally, others can help you stay motivated.  Goal achievement in relation to pursuing anything worthwhile will take time.

Action, Action, Action

The two F’s come to play.  Focus & Follow-through.  One of the biggest reasons why plans end up failing is the lack of sustained action.   It either occurs through motivation tailing off, or because you become distracted due to other things going on in your life.

To prevent goal failure::

Proper research  √
Do you have a simple, not complex plan √
Having the right tools to support the implementation √
Are you managing all aspects your world today, as you move towards your new state  √
Unreasonable friend √
Keeping the focus √
Sustaining your commitment towards small progressive steps towards your overall goal √
Having flexibility in your plan to adjust to the unknown  √

If your plan relates to Business or Marketing

Be sure that your financial projections and GP margins are not too aggressive, or that you hope to achieve targets in too short a timeframe.  In most cases we are not creating the market for our goods/services, rather we are trying to move business from a competitor.

This takes time, and it takes time to earn the trust of a new customer or client.  They may first test with just a portion of their business, before they move more business your way.

If your plan relates to personal goals

Do you Lack Dedication?  Life changes take time, and if they relate to changing your habits remember that you need to practice a new habit for at least 45 days.  It takes that long to replace an old habit with a new one.

Social Obligations and Temptations:   Many of our obligations include food and alcohol.  When we go to an event we tend to indulge --- remember to restrain.

Lack strong desire to stick to the Plan: Are you truly motivated to achieve your goal? 

Without 100% motivation it becomes a lot harder to achieve our goals. 

If your desire to keep doing what you have always done, is greater than the desire not to do it ….. then you will fail in your plan.  We find it easy to give excuses for not doing things, rather than accept and change our shortcomings.

Taking short cuts:   My advice? Don’t.  You will not have changed your old habit.

Trying to achieve your goal on your Own: This is one common mistake made by many.

For example, if your goal is in relation to weight-loss it is better to hire an expert to plan your weight loss program, supervise and motivate you into doing it right.  Also if you have a friend in a similar situation to you, then you can push each other not to quit.

Unrealistic Goals: ‘Rome was not built in a day’. Those who set unrealistic goals end up frustrated when they don’t achieve them.  Make sure you goal is realistic goal, that you have a written plan, and the goal is broken down into baby steps.

Do you celebrate even minor successes?

Celebrate every one of your milestones on the journey towards achieving your major change.  If the goal can only be accomplished over the longer term these celebrations will ensure you remain motivated.

Remember your plans should ::

• Be simple and easy to adjust.
• Be flexible.
• Maximize your potential to change.
• Be based on best practices.
• Enable you to prioritize your activities.
• Be inclusive of problem solving routines – obstacles occur and need to be dealt with immediately. 

The most common issue around plan failure is errors in the plan itself. This is often due to the plan not being kept up to date.  Additional reasons for failures are: poor communications; a lack of training and not having a “Plan B” in order to overcome obstacles.

So now it’s time to plan the work, and work the plan.

Your success is assured.

Have a great week,

Denis Orme
027-472-8610

Looking for a speaker for your next business meeting? 
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or contact denis.orme@yahoo.com