The One Hour Plan for Growth: How a Single Sheet of Paper Can Take Your Business to The Next Level

Chapter 11. What's Next?

How to Create and Execute a Team Plan for Years to Come

Inside every old company is a new company waiting to be born.

—Alvin Toffler, Writer and Futurist

A person must grow out of small problems to free up the energy to deal with bigger problems. That is the process of growing and maturing. The same applies to organizations.

—Ichak Adizes, Corporate Lifecycles

If the rate of change inside an organization is slower than the rate of external change—the end is near.

—Jack Welch, Former Chairman and CEO, General Electric

Engaging Your Team in the Planning Process

If you choose to engage your team in the process, and I hope that you do, you will experience the exhilaration of being on the same page and achieving extraordinary results that can only be achieved as people work together.

In order to engage the best efforts of today's workers, involve your team in this planning process. You can create a plan without any involvement from your team. But, you won't have as much buy-in. You know the principle: no involvement, no commitment.

Involving people in the planning process engages and develops their leadership skills and brings forth their best ideas.

When you ask for people's opinions, you make them feel important and give them a sense of ownership and commitment to the plan. And your plan is made stronger through their contributions. Of course, it is ultimately the leader's responsibility to develop a plan, but why not involve your people—the ones who are going to make ...