Engagement and THE BEST LAID PLANS

Many of you have noticed that we took a break for awhile in our postings. The past couple of months have been a fast-growing time for me and I want to share a bit of what has been happening since it definitely involved flexibility and a steep learning curve, which embodies the phrase “best laid plans” in my experience.

As we plan in life and in business, unexpected events and challenges appear which require flexibility and intentional communication. In early April my husband found out through a medical test that he needed open heart surgery to replace his Aortic Valve. Our decision to move forward to go to the best place we could find took about 10 days. The next weeks included some unexpected difficulties, the surgery and then the recovery which is and has been long and careful. We are now in the second half of the 3-month recovery time and making great progress but it has taken a great deal of flexibility and quality communication to get to this point.

During this unplanned experience it was necessary for my husband and me to engage professionals, family and ancillary people to support our strategy to go where the best medical care was available. Without that engagement our plan would not have worked so smoothly, which is the inspiration for today’s Featured Article; Engagement and THE BEST LAID PLANS.

I have been talking with clients in the last couple of weeks and the most frequent sharing is the enormous amount of work and change in their companies. Rather than move through a strategic plan, often problem solving includes “trying” something new without engaging the people who have to adjust and change focus.

Emergencies can often bring out the best in teams, however keeping them engaged is something that needs to happen every day. Currently, I am coaching a client who has made engagement a strategic plan for creating a large collaborative project which is changing the way his organization does business.

In previous blogs I have outlined a Strategic Model that incorporates engagement throughout all of its phases.

There are four main parts of the planning process which allow all who are involved in implementation to have an executive view of the whole picture and how all of the parts will work together. During the planning process, the vision of the leader is given, which includes the following four aspects:

1. Creating the Future

2. Expanding the Brand

3. Investing in People

4. The Essential Methods for Growing the Business

Implementation of strategic plans is the most challenging part of strategic planning. The way to insure that strategy is followed and that new challenges can be incorporated is to pay special and continual attention to the engagement and connection of everyone involved.

Here is how the process looks:

• Engagement is the first phase and involves Inquiry with the planning team to create connection and to hear their response to the leadership vision.

• Then each individual has an opportunity to give their vision of the plan and their plan for implementation.

• The connection and engagement around the plan is provided so that everyone begins to take ownership.

• The new solutions are created and engagement continues.

• The suggestion here is to make engagement and connection an intentional process that is exercised throughout.

If you have a question, challenge or experiences you would like to share, be sure to leave a comment, I would enjoy hearing from you. – Patricia