A cupcake doesn’t make itself. It requires planning. There is a recipe, ingredients, preparations in the form of measuring, melting, mixing, heating of the oven…
There’s nothing worse than getting mid-bake and discovering you don’t have enough of a key ingredient. You didn’t plan adequately and now you either need to stop for a while to go shopping or research an alternative. You know though, the cupcakes just won’t be as good.
They will have lost another hidden ingredient: momentum.
In the administration of your work, you cannot plan for absolutely every eventuality but you can plan for most. Do so precisely and you’ll have capacity to solve problems as they arise.
Most leaders I’ve worked with do not do this well. Some don’t do it at all. And it shows in how they lead. They cannot maintain momentum because they’re always putting out fires that precise prior planning would’ve prevented.
If planning is not your strength, ask your coach.
Don’t have one? You’re in luck. Ask me. I happen to be awesome at strategy, planning and implementation of ideas, projects and big-hairy-&-audacious goals.
