In our home life and work life, we need plans.

In making plans, we have the opportunity to discuss our priorities, our desires, risks, participants, and tasks. In making plans for an upcoming vacation, we talk about which cities we want to visit, which places we want to spend time at, how close to the city to choose our hotel, who we will travel with, and who we can visit. Those planning discussions help to ensure that we all get the most of what we want out of our time and money. And, it increases our anticipation and excitement of the upcoming trip. Even those who want to be totally spontaneous have to make a few choices about the city to start in. Even the choice to be totally spontaneous must be shared by the travelling group since there are risks.

At work, we are always planning. We might prefer short-term, flexible plans. We might prefer annual plans. Some businesses may still be making 5-year plans. Like vacation planning, the conversation is what matters most – priorities, risks, participants, outputs, and outcomes. The planners must all be in agreement, and the full group of participants then informed.

And then life happens.

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