5-Step TABLE Framework

Change efforts and strategic goals need clarity on the destination. It's fine to say, "We want to grow!" but what does that mean? How will you know you've arrived or are making progress? Being able to articulate the goal clearly, succinctly, and with measurable indicators of achievement enables the team to apply their efforts toward the same destination, increasing your ability to effectively and efficiently attain the goal.

Targeting the goals has three basic components:

• Get the right people in the room
• Ask the right questions
• Dream big, set milestones, and break everything into actionable steps

The plan is meaningless unless it is implementable! Whether you're seeking new clients, new work, new employees, or new strategies, you can turn guesswork into a solid plan of action. 

A great place to start is with the QUICK GOALS worksheet. These 10 questions help you and the team define success in tangible terms that guide the rest of your efforts. Clear expectations. Clear roles and responsibilities. A clear target.

Important initiatives are backed by good research and/or assessments. You wouldn't embark on a strategic plan without knowing the market. So why start an employee engagement program, department goal, or company initiative without the data behind it? The same tools to research your company's position in the marketplace can be used to assess your readiness and capabilities for change, and to set your team up for success. This stage will also clarify what your audience (employees, usually) are expecting from the initiative so you can proactively address their expectations and collaborate on solutions and implementation where everyone wins.

Initiatives that seek broad change on top of delivering the regular workload are at a disadvantage from the start. Breaking the steps into actions that can be folded into the routine and measured by completion versus speed are more likely to be adopted. Find the small steps that add up; enlist early advocates to work out the rough spots; and expect to adapt as you go!

Meaningful change with wide support happens with clear, consistent, and frequent communication. Every plan has something that can be communicated to the employees. We call it the A.C.T. - authority, contribution, truth. And it's a powerful tool for building trust and community, especially through the biggest changes (and challenges) in the workplace. 

Bringing the implementors to the planning room helps springboard any change initiative, and something we heartily advocate. But even if they weren't at the table, they should definitely weigh-in on the goals and help design the intermediate milestones and first few steps, and the process by which progress will be assessed and how adjustments will be handled. 

Circumstances change. The best plans are made to be adaptive, to measure progress, and to adjust as needed. There's a built-in accountability in assessing and adjusting as you go, and built-in moments of celebration, too. Everything goes according to plan when the plan itself is built for change.