In military parlance, it’s said that the war plan never survives the first battle. And ever since the western world has become mired in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we’ve learned this to be true. The same has been said about business, however it is also said that the value in a plan is not the plan itself, it’s the planning. In other words: the process.
The planning process is about preparation. It’s about careful analysis of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It’s about scenario analysis. It’s about idea generation. It’s about risk management. Good planning means we are ready to face any threat or seize any opportunity. In short, it means we’re ready…for anything.