Weekly Quote: Make a Plan, and Watch it Change

I had plans for the week, and I bet you did too. Of course, sometimes, pretty frequently actually, those plans change. Sometimes, it’s a minor course correction. Sometimes, the entire plan is, as Eisenhower said in the well-known quote above, useless.

I know how empowering planning can be, both personally and professionally. As a parent, having a plan helps keep my kids on track and helps to keep my wife and me somewhat sane and just barely rested. As a leader, having a plan is vital. In some situations, the plan may be a starting point to help everyone in the room see the vision and catch some confidence to know there is a direction for the team to move in. Other times, it may be fully formed and ready for buy-in and implementation. In just about any situation, a plan is ideal, even if you don’t end up using it.

Look, I’m not trying to help the Allies win World War II or serve as the 34th President of The United States. I still think this quote is a universal truth, and that's part of the reason why it’s so popular. For me, reality this week is different than what I planned, and I am making the best of it.

How is your week going? Are you on target or chasing the weekend to regroup? Send me a note and let me know.