Nice Backswing, No Follow Through: A Culture of Implementation

Nice backswing, no follow through, that's the way a client described his organization. There are plenty of reasons that an organization can plan well, develop ideas well and not implement those initiatives well. The problem is usually that the planning process in the organization is well developed, but there is no implementation process, especially when implementation requires cross functional cooperation.

Typically, then, management meets and decides, "That's a good idea; lets do it". Unfortunately, that's the extent of the implementation process. At the next meeting, someone asks, "Whatever happened to that idea?", and the matter dies at the meeting table.

Implementation is a different activity from planning or idea generation. Organizations that are successful in implementation have a set of tools that they use to carry it out. And to be most successful, these tools need to be customised to each organization's unique culture. The hallmarks of a good implementation process though, are:

1. The process should have visible Executive support and active interest.
2. It respects the nature of authority and accountability. If someone is accountable for a project, that person must have the authority to muster resources, found a work team and lead the work. Conversely, that project should have a budget, a timeline and defined deliverables and that leader should be accountable to that.
3. The project should be supported by frequent and comprehensive communication especially about any changes that affects employees, functional areas or business processes.
4. Successful implementations should be celebrated and the key players should be recognised for their effort.
5. The process has to be in harmony with the business culture. A good business culture not only helps employees make hundreds of correct decisions every day, but should also be the source of trust in the organization. Most implementations are also change initiatives. Change is usually seen as a threat.

Good ideas can be stillborn in your organization unless you have a process to bring them to life. Capitalize on the strength of your culture to empower execution and change and the whole effort will seem natural, easy and successful.

What do you look like at the paddock? Does your business plan look and perform like a winner?

I get a lot of questions from people starting a business and about writing a business plan. Rightfully so, a business plan is a critical document for starting any business. It is the most important piece of communication for investors, your bank, early vendors and shareholders. It is important, though, to understand what a business plan is and is not. A business plan is a snapshot of your business or your intended business at it exists at the time of writing with a snapshot of its financial state (including needs) at that time. A business plan is not a marketing plan, an operational plan or a strategic plan, though it should reference these other plans liberally.

The biggest concern I get is which template should I use for my business plan? The answer is usually, if this is the template that your potential audience gave you, use it. The truth is that all business plan templates cover the same areas sometimes with different headings or in a different order, but essentially the same subject matter. The trap is, though, successful completion of a template is not writing a successful business plan. Too many would be entrepreneurs can't figure out why their business plan doesn't get the interest they expected; afterall, we filled in the template.

Look at it this way. Just because you brought a horse to the derby, doesn't mean that it'll win or that anyone will bet on it. A horse in a race has a standard template. It has four legs, a neck and a back on which is a jockey. Horses that don't meet the template are weeded out before the starting gate. There are no horses in the race with more or less than four legs, for instance. An educated bettor or investor is going to read their racing form - the industry analysis, apply their individual knowledge and experience and then head down to the paddock. There they will size up all the horses, all of which meet the standard template. But, which horse would they bet on? They're going to look for a horse with tight muscle tone, an air of contained power, anxious to run but not skittish. Then, they're going to look at the jockey, a history of winning, able to bring that horse in, knows when to urge the horse on and when to let him run on his own.

These are the things that beyond the standard template that make for a successful business plan. Business plan templates tend to encourage a generic response when you need to be showing more muscle tone. We tend to make business decisions based on theory and process and forget the human element. Don't forget the needs of your audience.

What makes you look good at the paddock?

1. A compelling need in the market place for your product or service.
2. A product or services that satisfys that need.
3. A product or services that can be quickly brought to market
4. An understanding of who your customer is and how you're going to reach him/her.
5. An operational plan that supports getting your product or service to that customer in the most efficient manner possible.
6. A management team that's got the pedigree to get the ball over the goal line.

Above all don't be shy to aggressively answer the number one question in any investor's mind: "If I write you a check, do you know what you're going to do with my money tomorrow morning to create value for me?"

That's how to look good at the paddock.