Resource Management Innovations

My Mentor Had a Plan

  Every architectural drawing, be it a garage or a cathedral begins with a rather simple question … “what is its purpose?” What will it be used for? Once ‘it’ is described and better defined you can begin to consider what some of the functional elements and features might be. An architectural plan for a boat would be very different than that of a building or a plane wouldn’t it? All in response to the question … “what is it to be used for?”

  Another really interesting aspect of architectural drawings regardless of how complex the finished product might be, is that they all had very humble beginnings. Be it a garage or a cathedral, they both began as a blank page, and grew out of (what Disney likes to call) an ‘Imagineers’ heart. Often a very rough sketch develops into a draft, that after much consideration and discussion it begins to take shape.

  Those developmental days I find very exciting, when we are getting ‘closer’. I liken it to watching children grow, in anticipation. But consider the consequence of raising children in the absence of ‘building codes’ that would ensure a finished product of strength and integrity?

  My Mentor once counseled me that “A good idea is worth a dollar. The plan for implementing that idea is worth a million dollars.” A good leader has a plan. My Mentor had a plan. He gave clear instructions to his staff regarding how they could attain the incremental goals necessary to see the realization of ‘The Plan’. The Mentor always spoke in terms of how something was part of … or not part of, The Plan.

  One of the soundest pieces of advice he gave me was to plan my work and work my plan. (That would later be echoed by my Lawyer, Accountant and Bank Manager). Everything we did was in support of the ‘end game’ … and we had a strategy to get there from here. With the plan before me … reminding me of ‘what done looks like’ I would then have a materials and activity list of what needs to happen, in what time, by whom in order to see the drawing / plan complete.

  You can appreciate then, that just because a group of people have a bunch or boards, hammers and nails does not necessarily mean they are building anything recognizable, that might in the end resemble ‘The Plan’. 

  Often in business as in life, leaders think the organization is in good shape because there is a lot of hammering going on. As a society we like the sound of hammering. By contrast we are less comfortable with the sound of planning. Thinking. Which, is the sound of silence.

  My Mentor taught me the ‘value’ of reflective thinking. Assessment. Pondering. He taught me that (don’t miss this) … “Some knowledge cannot be pursued, it can only be received. And for that, you need to be still.”

  Chances are you feel a natural tension between a current and a desired state regarding some aspect of your personal or professional life that, if bridged or connected could lead to a satisfaction of that conviction that has intentionally been placed on your heart. The difference between ‘that dream’ and a goal … is ‘The Plan’. There is still time. Let me know when you want to get started.

Cheers;

Rick @ RMI
 

Posted By: Rick Kneeshaw 2010/04/22
Categories: Reflections: Lessons Learned