Tactical Planning
Yikes!!! It took us a long time to get through step one (Getting in Touch) but only one week to accomplish step two (Strategic Planning). Here we are ready to start step three. I call this step “Tactical or Action Planning” because this is where we start to take action on accomplishing our goals and objectives.
For every goal or objective you have on your list, you will develop a tactical or action plan. You’ve no doubt heard the old expression “where the rubber meets the road”. Well, action planning is where the rubber meets the road in your Christian life. Perhaps you have set goals and objectives before but nothing happened after that. Goals and objectives are pretty easy to identify but how do you make them happen? Actually it’s pretty easy. Just remember that a goal without a plan is just a wish. It will only take you about 30 minutes to put together an action plan on any one of your goals. Once you have that in place, all you have to do is follow your own instructions.
Take a look below. I’ve constructed an abbreviated tactical planning guide for your consideration. There may not be enough room for some of your action plans but you can make copies. As you look at what’s involved I think you will agree that this is pretty intuitive.
At the top you will identify the goal for which this plan is constructed along with today’s date. Then assign one of your management team to be in charge and set a completion date. Depending on how long you think it will take to complete this objective, set a regular time to review progress. Never let your review period go long than 90 days. Then describe what you want to happen and how you will know when it does. In other words, describe how successful completion of this objective will be measured.
The heart of the action plan is a listing of the steps/actions/hoops-you-have-to-jump-through to accomplish the objective. For each step you list, you will explain how it will be accomplished and when that step will be completed.
Finally, you will estimate the costs associated with completion of this objective and where the money will come from. Depending on the nature of the objective, you may want to estimate cost and sources of funds for each step.
Now you know exactly what to do, how to do it, and when it is to be completed so just go to the top of the list and start on goal No. 1. Get busy!!
Tactical/Action Plan
- Goal/Objective: ____________________________________________________
- Today’s Date: _____________________________________________________
- Target Completion Date: ____________________________________________
- Who’s in charge? __________________________________________________
- Review progress in: _____30 days _____60 days _____90 days
- How will successful completion be measured? ___________________________
- Steps taken to accomplish goal:
…………………………………………………………………..Completion Date…………..Cost
a. _____________________________________ __________ _________
b. _____________________________________ __________ _________
c. _____________________________________ __________ _________
d. _____________________________________ __________ _________
e. _____________________________________ __________ _________
f. _____________________________________ __________ _________
g. _____________________________________ __________ _________
h. _____________________________________ __________ _________
i. _____________________________________ __________ _________
j. _____________________________________ __________ _________
k. ____________________________________ __________ __________
l. ____________________________________ __________ __________
m. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
n. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
o. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
p. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
q. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
r. ____________________________________ ___________ __________
s. ____________________________________ ___________ __________