The potluck dinner

I never really understood why companies go off site once a year to plan and then put the plan away. It seems that everyone comes together to define the top line goals and then each departmental executive interprets those goals and decides what their department needs to do to support the corporate vision.  There is a flurry of activity for about a month that often is not reviewed again for a year.

What results is a hodgepodge of dishes that rarely seem to fit well together in a meal - too many desserts not enough entrees.   Dishes that run out after the first 10 people and then dishes no one will touch.  I recall at my church, there was a family that brought several bags of Tupperware containers and would collect all the leftovers to take home.  I had a date with the son and was served some of my mom’s potato salad. 

Just like a dinner, it is always best if there is a coordinated plan. Keep the team together and identify all the measurements and reach an agreement on everything that needs to be accomplished (not done) in order to meet the targets.  Once it is all decided and consensus is reached, only then should you decide who is going to do what.  You can ensure the resources are adequate and capable of what is assigned. 

Weekly staff meetings can now focus on each target and the deliverables.  There is no reason for everyone to share everything they did or that they are thinking about.  The entire intention of the meeting is to check in to ensure each person was on track for their part of the plan.  If something needs to change, then everyone is there, knows about it and participates in the corrective action.