We have now completed the first two steps of a five step process that I take my clients through when building a sustainable startup. Step one, Clarity - understanding what we want to accomplish as opposed to what we think we want to accomplish. Step two, People - Identifying who we need and not what we need. Step three is building a Working Plan.
A Working Plan is different than a Business Plan. I define a business plan as a document that is primarily used to pitch your vision for funding purposes. To me a working plan is a process. Step three will run through the process of a working plan. This process is really a business management and project management process that is simple, scalable and measurable.
As I go forward and explain this process I will be assuming that Step one and two have been done. This means that we have an organization that is clear, (Step 1) on it's purpose and the difference it makes in it's industry and/or the world. The organization knows what values are fundamental and irreplaceable. What business it is in and against whom it competes. How it's approach differs from that of its competition. And, what its' goals are next month, quarter, year and 5 years. The organization also has attracted people to a purpose and not a cause (Step 2) and has mapped the responsibility's and task of its people to values and goals of the organization. I think that step one and two are the two steps that are the most important in an organization and they are the least well done, (if truly done at all) in most organizations. If this is the first Sustainable Startup blog post you are reading it may look as though steps one and two are overwhelming. I think this is how most organizations "feel" about it as well so they tend to minimize the importance of the first two steps by calling it the "soft stuff". If all this does seem overwhelming take the time to read the past posts that run through steps one and two and I think you will be able to breath a sigh of relief that there is a way to actually accomplish these first two steps in a simple and systematic manner. I am not saying it is easy, a lot of serious thinking has to occur but for sure if you just follow the process it is very doable and it will set your business up for success.
The Working Plan process that has developed over the years for me has three main characteristics. 1. Simple, 2. Scalable, 3. Measurable.
1. Simple: This means that anyone and everyone in the organization must be able to understand the process and utilize it themselves. A working plan is something that changes every moment in its finest detail which mean that everyone must know how to work the process and build their own working plan for their objectives or team at any moment. Simple is key because everyone has to be able to do it.
2. Scalable: If everyone can work the process then the working plan is scalable.
3. Measurable: This is so key to staying on track with the goals and values of the company. In this process we will be able to make everything measurable.
Next Post we will run through an exercise on establishing our working plan.
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