Developing an Action Plan - Managing by Calendar



Steps to Managing your Big Idea by your Calendar  


 

1) Make or articulate your goals.

Make sure they are SMART:

- Specific

- Measurable

- Achievable

- Realistic

- Time-bound

 

2) Assign a date or checkpoint to the goal (even if arbitrary).

a. Your goals should have clear benchmarks where you can check-in to see how you're doing.  Looking a year down the road: what needs to happen in the next three months?  The next six months?  The next nine months?

b. Set a specific date to check-in on how your Big Idea is progressing. 

 

3) Determine steps or components that lead towards the goal.

a. Consider program

b. Consider logistics

c.  Consider people (key relationships or stakeholders)

d. Consider how you might delegate responsibilities!

 

4) Using a calendar, assign critical first steps

a. Plan backwards from your end date to the present.  Considering what you will need to do immediately before the event and working your way back to the present.

b. Determine where you need to be six months from now.  

c. Write your steps on post-its and put them on a wall calendar.  This way you can move them around as you adapt your plan to conflicts.

 

5) Then order remaining steps backwards and assign them dates/time, working around or modifying other set priorities.

a. Some of your dates may be arbitrary.  

 

6) Sort out conflicting/competing demands.

a. Delegate!  This is why you have a team.

b. Adjust your arbitrary deadlines (this is why your dates are written on post-its).

 

7) Adjust plan so it fits together.

 


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