The 6 Steps You Need to Create A Successful Action Plan
It’s time to take action!
Have you ever created a list of awesome goals only to go month after month without accomplishing them?
What is it that makes some people so effective at goal management and accomplishment? What secret sauce do they have that you don’t?
It comes down to taking action.
We make a lot of decisions. We have goals, ideas and dreams.
But decisions are not what accomplishes are goals or make our dreams come true.
For years I sat in on board meetings where decisions were made but actions were not carried out. Month after month we’d return to our next meeting with the items unaccomplished.
If we decided to do something, why wasn’t it getting done?
You see we’d missed an important step or two in the process. Then we got smart and we realized the importance of going beyond the decision making phase.
When it comes to creating an awesome action plan to finally crush your goals I have a few helpful tips that just might make the difference.
Create A Successful Action Plan
The 6 steps you need to create a successful action plan you will actually follow through on:
- Identify Action Items
- Create Parameters
- Determine Tools and Resources Needed
- Assign Specific People to Tasks
- Create Timelines and Deadlines
- Review and Evaluate
It’s important to go beyond intentions.
Decision making is not the accomplishment stage of the process. It is only the moment in which you have determined that you will do something.
The thing still remains to be done.
The next important step to take is to identify how you are going to get something done.
The key to an awesome action plan is identifying each step of the process from start to finish. This way you know how you will be accomplishing your goal or task.
Identify Action Items
What steps need to be taken?
Determine what tasks need to be accomplished to meet your goals.
In order to meet your objective identify each and every action step that will need to be taken.
The best way to do this is to simply list out each step you need to take to meet your your goal.
Create Parameters
Be clear on your objective. In order to create action steps you need to have clarity on where you are going.
What are you intending to accomplish?
Parameters allow us to measure our progress.
Determine Tools and Resources Needed
List out everything you need to make your goal happen.
What tools, resources, time and people are you going to need to meet the goal.
Do you already have the tools and resources needed?
Assign Specific People to Tasks
When working with a group or team it is essential that all actions are assigned. Everyone should know what their responsibilities are.
This avoids assuming someone else is doing the work and creates clarity for the whole group.
Create Timelines and Deadlines
Put it on your calendar. Create a schedule and time slots.
Writing it on your calendar makes you much more likely to actually follow through.
Have a clear deadline to work towards and keep you on task.
Review and Evaluate
Evaluate your process.
What worked well? What didn’t work well?
What did you learn from this process?
Could you have done anything differently?
Are you satisfied with the results?
Use these six steps to create a successful action plan that will help you go beyond the decision making phase and get your goals accomplished.
xoxo Naomi
