I constantly communicate with entrepreneurs, most often it’s the conscious owners of the companies that have encountered some management difficulties. They are ready for changes that will take their business to a new level and therefore are trained on the project School of Business Owners. Practically everyone at the first conversation reveals complexity - inability or unwillingness to plan. What does this difficulty not only with the owners, but also with the whole team.
When I say “they do not like planning,” I do not mean that leaders somehow resist this. What intelligent person can say that planning is something unnecessary?
“They don’t want to” means they don’t feel the drive to make plans, they don’t have their own creative impulse to do this. How does a diver or yachtsman plan his vacation when he is going on a dive tour or a trip on a yacht? He savors the details, anticipating the pleasure of the upcoming adventure, painstakingly examines all the details so as not to miss some little thing that could jeopardize the success of the event. The pleasure that a person experiences while planning his favorite pastime is quite understandable. Will he need some kind of tight control or disciplinary action so that he then fulfills each of the planned tasks? Of course not.
In trainings on personal effectiveness, they often give an example that a person who wants to use the toilet will not doubt himself and will sweep away all the barriers to getting there. This is a good example, because indeed, if a person really wants something, no obstacles can stop him.
Therefore, the first session of the School of Business Owners is entirely devoted to planning. First we give a theory, then move on to short-term, and then we set goals for 5 and even 10 years ahead.
The basis for success in planning and implementing plans is not what rules to write them to use, and not how to automate control over the execution of tasks. The foundation of successful planning is the sincere desire of company executives to play the game and win it. Creating such a desire is what underlies successful planning. If you look at how Google works from the point of view of classic planning tools, it has no chance whatsoever to deliver the product to the consumer. There are no strict plans for product development and tight control over the execution of tasks in R&D divisions, nevertheless, this company manages to provide consumers with products that are years ahead of the user mainstream, regularly surprising specialists with something new.
Many companies, inspired by its results, try to adopt this approach, but rarely it brings a good result, because there is something that remains behind the screen. It is not difficult to notice a special work schedule, room design, attitude towards creating comfort, but it is much more difficult to understand what is in the foundation, which is hidden from the observer by these bright details.
In order for people to want to plan and work with the same level of enthusiasm as they play their favorite game, it is necessary that the activities of the company itself be a game for them.
Please note that any sports game has very strict rules that thoroughly describe the behavior on the site, and no one has the feeling that his work is limited. Similarly, any company should have rules. Even the very need for long-term and short-term plans is already a rule. But it is not the rules and restrictions that create inspiration. At the School of Business Owners, we teach owners to formulate goals and promote them to employees so that they become desirable for everyone. If the chief manager is not able to do this, there will be no game.
The basis of the drive in the game is the desired goal. When there is a goal, and it is large enough and desirable, then the group has the spirit of the game, if there is no goal, then everything becomes complicated.
