.
- Make realistic goals. Accommodate the goals as per the resources available. If resources available are insufficient, then the goals cannot be achieved, despite all efforts to make it so.
- Goals can be determined by one person or by a group of people working together towards a common objective. The main features of set goals should be congruency with the mission, and all defining criteria such as time frames, specific objectives in organizational areas.
- Writing the objectives down can prove to be effective for immediate action. Sharing your objective with other members in your work space and coming with alternatives through group discussion is important in working towards fulfillment.
- Amend your goals as per their ability to full the preset objectives. Realistic interpretation of the situation is very important in review and amendment of goals.
Process of plan development
How did managers like Policastro know about the plans needed to be formulated during such an unprecedented events like the Haiti quakes? What are the necessary steps needed to be taken? How will they factor in the constraints of geography into their decision making process?
In any investments, there are certain risks and uncertainties in the world scenario which need to be considered for an effective plan. The ever-changing landscape of corporate scenes worldwide means that there will be no shortage of unexpected twists and turns while arriving at an objective. Hence, while coming up with a plan, managers tend to focus on a few contingency factors. These are:
- The level of the manager: in the hierarchy of an organization, the position of a manager defines what his responsibilities are and what kind of plans he has to make in order to fulfill them. Top level executives formulate the company mission; new avenues to explore etc. while lower-level managers keep the operation running smoothly ensuring efficient overall performance. The level of the manager decides his role in goal setting and planning.
- Uncertainty: environmental uncertainties are very critical in formulation of plans. Plans should be flexible, but with sufficient specificity. There should always be room for spontaneous amendments as per the needs of the situation. Accommodation due to rapid changes in world scenario need to be factored in quickly without changing the fundamental points of the initial plan.
- Commitment: when a plan is formed to fulfill a particular objective, it should extend sufficiently to fulfill the commitments made prior to planning. The times frame of a plan is crucial as too long or too short plans tend to be ineffective and inefficient. Commitment to a project is necessary to remain motivated in fulfilling it, and also to create and innovate. However, escalation of commitment can have catastrophic consequence, so managers need to know when to let go of an unsuccessful campaign.
In every organization, the planning process is different. Each manager has their own thinking style, and hence the approach varies from manager to manager. The personality and worldview of the deciding manager defines the process of his organization in approaching plans.
- Formal planning: Traditional methods exhibit the plans being made entirely by the highest levels of management within a company. They are often assisted by teams; whose objectives are to provide the managers with relevant and specific information needed for effective planning. Once the plan has been formulated, it is circulated around the organization, and flows downwards, where it is divided into individual goals for each area in the organization. It only works when managers are capable of making plans that benefit and positively affect all members involved in situ, not on paper.
- Informal Planning: Another approach involves staff member from all level participating in the planning process. The goal the set mutually by the subordinates and the bosses, and they are late used as performance standards. The emphasis is on results and not methods in this a This approach helps members to be more involved in the decisi