There is some evidence that suggests that the relevance and importance of business planning is not always clear and understood.
If you are driving to a location that perhaps you have never been to before, or your memory is unclear on where it is, you’d most likely either consult a map, or use your GPS. The reasons are obvious – you want to successfully get to your destination!
Business is no different, and tools like business plans can, if constructed appropriately be valuable in supporting the journey.
The challenge is, that the mere fact of having a business or strategic plan is no guarantee that you will have a successful business.
You will need to be constantly monitoring progress, checking its relevance against what you thought would happen, and adjusting your actions to better operate within the current environment.
Any formal plan, is a single dimensional view, at a point in time. The realities of business mean that they are complex and multi dimensional, with changes, challenges and opportunities constantly appearing.
Your ability to take all of the elements into account, adjust and change, while continuing to drive the business forward is the key to success.
