Once you have set your goals and understand where your are in relation to each of them then it is time to gain an understanding of how will you get from where you are to where you want to be. This means putting plans in place that will help you to attain your goals. These plans will normally be made up of projects, some of which will be stand-alone and others will be interlinked. These projects will ultimately be made of individual actions that will normally combine to produce the results that you are looking for.
When designing project and the actions that comprise them, it is important to always ensure that they are aligned with the ultimate outcome (or goal) that you want to achieve. This means that the actions you plan should be taken with the express purpose of taking a step towards the desired outcome – not in the hope that the desired outcome will be achieved.
This may sound complex and difficult and to some extent it is – that is the reality of business strategy – it can be complex and messy. The systems that we use in our Brand Journey process have been specifically designed to manage complexity, making it easier to create an inter-connected set or actions and outcomes that are linked directly to attaining your goals.
This method of working also enables you to put measurements in place in order to track progress and make adjustments along the way. Failure to plan your actions and measure the results is like driving a car on a dark road with the lights off. There is a better than average chance that you are going to crash!
