Should we involve our team in the planning or should they only be involved in planning the implementation rather than the plan itself?
Some years ago it was popular to include more junior level people in executive level planning. The thought was to “get their buy-in.” I never saw this work. In most cases those people did not have enough knowledge about what was being discussed (I’m not referring to their intelligence, just their knowledge and experience) and felt out of place. Also, many workers don’t want to be involved in that level, though that’s open for a whole different discussion.
I’ve also learned that those junior level people have something that the executive level often either doesn’t have or has lost; direct knowledge of what it takes to accomplish a goal.
With that in mind, I found the most success when leaders who are on the planning team solicit, and seriously consider input from their workers. That input is critical in the strategic planning process as it ensures leaders don’t miss important elements of the plan.
Goals and objectives are where that junior level input is essential. They are set by the leadership planning team; however, they should not be finalized until the planning team members have taken them back to their own areas and received the input of those who are actually going to do the work. Without that input, the planning team is very likely to miss necessary steps and underestimate the time and resources necessary for success.
Now, I know some will say that workers will tend to pad the requirements to make it easier on themselves. That’s why I emphasize that planning is a leadership activity. That sort of thing may happen and can’t be eliminated completely, but with leaders who have established trust and good communication, the problem is much less likely to appear.
One more thing. If you have a small team that works very closely together, then it probably is wise to include them all in the planning process. If you do, additional caution is warranted because that extra check and balance for goals and objectives is not there. It’s a little easier for the members of the team to agree to things that are not possible just to avoid looking like they’re not “on-board” in front of the rest of the team. Again, leadership!
You should involve the more junior level people in the planning process, but at the right time.
Bob Mason is dedicated to leadership development. He works with companies to solve problems by helping supervisors and managers become more effective leaders leading more productive teams. He is a professional speaker and author of Don’t Worry, You Can Do This: What New Supervisors and Managers Need to Know About Leadership; The Art of Not Motivating: How Leaders Can Succeed by Understanding the True Nature of Motivation; Balancing the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace; and Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works.
A 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force exposed him to great leaders and leadership opportunities such as command of four squadrons, including the Air Force’s largest munitions squadron. He has studied leadership extensively, but more importantly has been there, working with real people, making hard decisions, and experiencing the results.
Contact Bob at Bob@BobMasonSpeaker.com or 505-453-5266
