Have you ever noticed how some people shy away from planning because they don’t want to commit to future numbers? I call this the “crystal ball and chain” problem. People might think, “If I jot down my numbers for next year, they might use that to fire me.” This leads them to resist estimates and forecasts, which are crucial parts of the planning process.
I’ve seen this happen in organizations that introduce solid business planning, which, in my view, involves creating a lean business plan and regularly reviewing and revising it to keep it current.
The key to solving this problem is collaboration.
**Fear of Commitment and Accountability**
This issue often arises when businesses start planning in groups or teams that haven’t been accustomed to regular planning. People naturally resist change. Planning works best when those responsible for carrying out the plan are actively involved in its development. Therefore, team leaders and managers should help by setting milestones, estimating timeframes, identifying key performance indicators, and finding ways to measure progress. However, sometimes they react with fear, thinking:
– How can I possibly know now what will happen six months from now?
– Isn’t this just a waste of time?
– Couldn’t it actually be counterproductive by distracting us with future predictions?
**It Affects Flexibility**
These concerns are legitimate. I’ve heard them from team stars who aren’t worried about their job security but are genuinely concerned about what’s best for management and workflow. There’s often an underlying fear of commitment and accountability, manifesting as the worry that “they’ll use that to fire me later.” However, people rarely admit this outright.
The truth is, projecting future business activities isn’t a burden. A well-designed planning process helps manage business activities effectively.
**Collaboration Solves the Problem**
Business owners and team leaders looking to implement a robust planning process should recognize this potential issue early and highlight collaboration as the solution.
Some collaborative efforts are straightforward. For example, if it’s October and you’re planning for the next year, and there’s a major trade show every April, the marketing manager might plan to exhibit there and include that in the plan’s milestones and budget. But by January, the show is rescheduled to June. Rather than seeing the April milestone as a failure, this becomes a chance to demonstrate how planning aids in collaboration. The milestone and budget move from April to June, and everyone is satisfied.
Better collaborative opportunities occur when managers and teams miss established goals for less obvious reasons. This can indicate failure or poor performance. A good leader identifies warning signs early and steps in when metrics look bad, helping the team to pinpoint causes, develop solutions, and fix issues. Another positive outcome might be realizing that the goals were too ambitious.
Sometimes, the root cause is indeed poor performance, especially early in the adoption of a new planning process. In such cases, it’s crucial to handle the situation with care. Avoid undermining the new process by punishing team members for early setbacks. Instead, work diligently to resolve issues and adjust goals during the initial months. Show the team that the plan fosters collaboration, not discipline.
