Organization and even personal planning are often not given the deliberate attention they deserve.  Yes, I will admit that in my Director days I often employed a “flying by the seat of my pants” approach to planning and agency operation.  However, I will also admit that because I surrounded myself with great co-leadership people, the need for complete detail in program/service design and delivery was gratefully provided.

But now in assisting my consulting clients and high-management involvement in the post-secondary education sector, I have come to focus more on Tactical Planning activities.  Unlike strategic planning which concerns itself with decisions about resource allocations, company priorities and steps needed to meet important long-term goals…Tactical Planning is all about short-term plans and actions for implementing specific elements of a company/organizations larger strategic plan.  Tactical planning may be delegated to middle-management…but realistically needs to involve all levels of an organization to be totally effective.

So, this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message asks:  Tactical Planning…How Good Are You?

Do you assign yourself to strategically think about and draft recommendations on how to improve yourself, co-workers and/or the organization?  Or do you follow a more traditional line of thinking and believe “that strategic planning is the higher up’s job”?  As a leader at any level do you convey an openness to all workers that their input and ideas are important?  Would people observe that you and your business/organization operate with a culture that Tactical Planning is EVERYONES responsibility?

Times have dissolved the lines that limited frontline staff from contributing to solid Tactical Planning.  Yes, there are still select areas that may need to be accomplished by Boards and top-level leaders.  However, when you think about Tactical Planning…How Good Are You?…be sure to not only think about work…but also your own self-improvement!