Whether arranging a wedding , a party, moving to a new home or dozen of other similar activities we all participate in from time to time, planning is key.

Your initiative will usually have better results better if you think of all the things that need to be done and then work out the best ways to do them, including timing and interdependencies.

When planning an initiative or project it is usually best to have a single plan.  Not surprisingly, different stakeholders often have alternate approaches.

Communicate & Coordinate

Having a single plan that everyone is aware of does not have to be locked in stone.  The plan is the foundation for managing change.  Change is both an intricate and critical part of any project.

Plans are not meant to be once and done, rather they are for coordination.  Efficiency does not occur magically, you need to plan for it.

Multiple plans cause chaos.  When participants are working on executing the activities to make the objective become reality it is confusing to say the least to find different people are following separate approaches.

Multiple plans can lead to disaster, everything can pop off the rails and crash before you know it.  By the time the multiple cooks realize something is amiss, it is often too late to fix.

A Single Approach

A single project plan, recognized by all can be the foundation for discussion and sharing.  This does not mean all voices should not be heard, creating the plan is a collaborative exercise at it’s best.

Having only a single unique plan is the best way to reducing the risk of failure.