GALT Consulting LLC

Last week, I gave you 3 Reasons why Strategic Plans Fail.  This week, I will give you the alternative.

Imagine being the coach of a football team.  You spend a lot of time analyzing the upcoming opponent.  You look at each potential match-up on the field and analyze the types of plays most likely to generate success.  You know, for example, that your running back can outrun their outside linebacker if you can pull an offensive lineman to block their speedy middle linebacker.  With all of this knowledge, you lay out the plays to call for the entire game.  Knowing that the results of each play will vary, you organize your game plan by down and yardage.  If it is 3rd and 19, you have a play.  If it is 3rd and 1, you have a play.  It is all mapped out based on your best information.

The game starts and you immediately notice that they are starting a new outside linebacker who appears much faster than the guy you planned to play against.  3 plays into the game, your star running back tweaks his ankle slowing him down.  The defense runs plays you have never seen before.  You are getting crushed.

You have 2 choices at this point.  Stick to the plan or pitch it.  If you are smart, you will pitch it...  well, not completely. 

The information you collected to create the plan is incredibly valuable and most of it still applies.  However, as the game begins, the information is changing and you are becoming more even more informed about the other team.  You need to use the information from the plan, and make some adjustments.  Furthermore, you have another choice.  Should you make the adjustments based on what you see from the sidelines, or should you ask your veteran players on the field what they are seeing out there?  I think you are getting the picture...

A plan is static.  It doesn't change.  It doesn't adjust.  It doesn't learn.  A system is dynamic.  It shifts and adjusts it's course based on improved clarity of the current situation.  You don't need a plan, you need a system.

Instead of spending all that time on the super play calling plan, let's say that you create a system to allow you to collect information and make better play calls during the game.  During a specific drive, you will rely on your coaches in the boxes watching the game from above as well as your own eyes to make calls, but you will also give your veteran quarterback the power to audible if needed.  Between drives, you organize your team so that information from the field flows to the coaches.  The coaches and veteran players adjust their gameplan accordingly.

Now imagine this type of system in your organization...