Planning for 2024: Coasting or Closing?

No excuses…there is still time to get ahead for Q1-2024

You Have Time

There is still time to capitalize on opportunities in 2023, and also set up your business for 2024. Like many leaders, if you’re busy putting out fires, contributing to ‘24 budgets for other leaders, or bogged down in end of year chaos, I mean festivities, have you really invested time in planning for the new year that is quickly approaching?

Sorry for the reminder, but your Q1 success still significantly relies on your Q4 activity, planning, and preparation. And if this is your busy season, you’re not off the hook - your team can run the current business. It’s your job to ensure you’re ready for next year. It does not matter how busy it is now.

Building Your 2024 Roadmap

Your team, your clients, and other stakeholders are relying on you to lead the strategy and planning efforts for 2024. Even if others do the work, in many cases, people look to you to message the vision and roadmap.

There are so many ways to go about this and it can vary depending on your industry, and product or service. Given how many resources are out there about planning, I won’t touch on the how in this feature, but I have included some inspiration below from a few resources to get you reflecting, thinking, and planning. I will get more into how to get in the right mindset to be ready to get into more detailed planning exercises that are in alignment with your vision with purpose.

At a high-level, I recommend stepping back, slowing down, and looking at your 2024 for clarity, calm, and communication. Action and results stem from your belief in your vision. Here is one approach to get there for your business:

Vision with Purpose

Before looking at any past plans, or public strategy, planning, or idea materials or docs, put down raw thoughts from your reflections on 2023, considering what is going well, not going well, and where do we need to go from here? How does my vision and purpose alignment look, and what goes into planning and action to support my vision?

Review, revisit, and validate or iterate on the following:

1. Reflection - feeling

2. KPI and results - proof

3. Purpose and BEHAG

4. Vision

5. Strategy with a Roadmap

6. Planning for execution - tactical details

7. People, Process, Technology, Business, and Market

8. Feedback & Edit

9. Finalize & Consensus

10. Commit, Believe, & Act

None of this is in concrete and is something you can adjust as it makes sense, however, you want to be smart with changes to your vision, and make intentional and purposeful adjustments, not adjusting based on short term results or bumps in the road.

Closing

And for Individual contributors and professional workers focused on personal development, the same mindset and approach goes for you. Close strong and prepare for next year. Plan your down time and rest, but while you’re still at it, get after it.

Action and results stem from confidence in your own career and business vision and purpose. The tighter your vision and purpose, and in alignment with your business game plans, the more likely you are to succeed. Vision and planning don’t make you successful, but they give you a much better chance given the with a strong focus and intentional action driving your activity.

Don’t wait, tomorrow can last a lifetime.

Hopefully, this added a little value to your business or your career. Thank you for reading.

Climb Higher, Raise Your^ROI

Senior Executive Feature