By Phil Harwood

I don’t know about you, but I’m fired up. We’re into a new year and it’s game time. No more practice. No more waiting. No more holiday parties. It’s time to execute and deliver. 

But, execute and deliver what? 

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For those of you who started preparing for 2024 a few months ago, the answer to this question is clear. You took the time to meet with your team to nail down your strategic plan for 2024. Your goals are set and have been communicated. Your financial and operating budgets are finished. You’ve been waiting for the holidays to get past you before pressing the accelerator to the floor. That time is now. 

For those of you who didn’t make this investment, it’s not too late, especially if you operate on a fiscal year other than a calendar year. For you, winter may be the perfect time to get your plan together because your season begins in the spring. This is not game time for you but a season of preparation. Now is the time to hold your strategic planning sessions, set goals, and finish budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. 

On the other hand, if your strategic planning process has stalled or never got off the ground, you would do well to focus on this critical area. Without a solid plan, developed by you and your leadership team, it’s unlikely that you will achieve what’s in your mind for 2024. 

As Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Every year brings unforeseen challenges. There is no reason to think that 2024 will be any different. Will your plan survive adversity? Is your team prepared? Are they committed and willing to push through the challenges they will face? Too many plans fall by the wayside when something unexpected happens. But if your plan is solid and committed to by your team, you can endure, adjust, and still have a successful year. 

If you’d like to learn more about the strategic planning process, I invite you to check out our online course at GrowTheBench.com. It consists of five short modules, each with a video to watch and a worksheet to keep you engaged. 

If you’re new to GrowTheBench.com, I also invite you to have a free month of unlimited access to all of our courses, including the course on strategic planning. Click here to enroll in your free trial. 

In addition, if you just want to have a conversation, reply to this email and we’ll set up a time to talk. 

Now go forth.