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Action Without
Planning
Action without a systematic and detailed plan is one of
the major causes of failure in the home and in the
workplace.
What would you say to the managing
contractor who turned up to build your new home without
architectural drawings or a detailed plan? My guess is
that you would give him the sack. A plan is a guide, a
road map or a tool to help you accomplish your vision
and without it you could lose your way. How many
relationships have you destroyed because you acted
without thinking first. How many times have you spoken
or acted in haste only to find that there was more hope
for a fool than for you? Action without planning is like
eating fruit before it is ripe. Think, think and think
again before you act. Those who pay careful attention or
persistently use detailed plans, will be successful, but
those who are hasty will fail.
As soon as we have an idea we tend to
dive straight in with the action, only to realise later
that this was a big mistake.
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Action Without Planning |
Planning
Before Action |
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1. |
Hard to measure |
Easily measured |
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2.
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Very risky |
Low risk |
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3.
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Reactive |
Pro-active |
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4.
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Time wasting |
No time wasted |
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5.
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Expensive |
Inexpensive |
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6.
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High failure rate |
High pass rate |
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7.
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Informal |
Formal |
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8.
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Blurred vision |
Crystal clear vision |
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9.
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Hard to control |
Easily controlled |
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10. |
Low productivity |
High productivity |
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11.
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No point of reference |
Easy point of reference |
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12. |
Confuses teamwork |
Unifies team |
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13.
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Stressful |
Stress free |
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14.
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Hasty decisions |
Planned decisions |
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15.
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Little or no consultation |
Much consultation |
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16.
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No overall view |
Overall view |
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17.
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Hard to evaluate |
Easy to evaluate |
With these listed advantages and
disadvantages, you cannot afford not to think and plan
before you act. It is madness to act before you plan.
It is important to know where you
are, where you want to go and how to get there. The how
to get there is your plan. A good plan may take you
days, weeks or even months to construct, but it has the
potential of saving your health, time and money. Never
put together a plan that cannot be changed and at the
expense of your life and your family. Be flexible.
While your plans are flourishing,
has your family been left out?
Complete the following to produce a
complete action plan or as some may call it, a detailed
business plan.
Objectives
1. List your value/s for this
specific project and put them in order of priority.
2. List your vision.
Reliable People
1. List all the people that you
will work with and identify what attitude, skills and
knowledge they must possess.
2. List your training and
development policy.
Gaining and Keeping Customers
1. List your customers and give
proof of market research.
2. List your customer care policy
for gaining and keeping customers.
Advertising and Promotion
List your advertising and promotion
strategy.
New Ideas
What will you do to remain innovative
in the market place?
Inspired Leadership
How will you build on your strengths,
eliminate weaknesses, exploit opportunities and remove
threats?
Services and Products
List the benefits of your service and
product.
Aggressive Selling
How will you sell to your customers?
Technology
List the resources that you need
and show how you will stay in touch with the growing
technology in your field.
Information / Communication
1. What information do you
require and how will it be obtained?
2. What are the lines for
communication and how will decisions be made?
Organised Financial Planning
1. How much money do you need,
where will you get it and how will you pay it back?
2. List your financial policy and
the system you will use to control your finances.
Networking
Who are you advisors?
Suppliers
Who are your suppliers and what are their terms? |
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