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Developing programs should not be a tedious, long process with poor input that gets forgotten shortly after it is finished. Here are some simple tools to make the process more effective and active.
1. Make programs work for you rather than trying to please others. In general, the more you try to please investors, clients or other parties the less effective your program will be. Develop simple programs. Two simple recommendations are lists of Things to Do Today and 1–3-page program plans with simple action agendas. For example, if you are a business consider how much sales you need and how and when you need to profitable.
2. Make goal setting a priority and communicate your goals to those involved. Be certain to understand different needs of different situations. Use clear and simple measurement tools, and be sure to utilize the process for improvement, rather than a tool for criticism. And remember, we set goals to make progress and even if we don’t achieve all we set out to accomplish, we still end up further along than where we started.
3. Consider interaction of variables and alternative program results. Program managers love to believe in one feature to drive their business. The reality is several factors interact to cause success. On one hand the phrase, “you are only as strong as the weakest link “has more validity than we acknowledge. In particular aspects like quality, weak teams, customer service and communication can kill a program. On the other hand, product, marketing and other features all interact to help success.
4. Include outliers in your consideration. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men - that is genius.” That is also true of successful entrepreneurs in contrast Bell’s comment that innovation without execution is a hallucination must also be considered. You need to think out of the box and be innovative, creative and special. However. you also need to deliver the promises of the offering.
5. Developing and executing programs is a continuous process. It requires assessment, change, and pivoting on a regular basis. They should also include passion, innovation, moderate risk and intuition. Why are your program different and what resources being you executing to keep it better. Are you maximizing your strengths and opportunities and resolving your failures?
In summary developing programs should be a challenging and rewarding process. The more tedious it becomes, the more you should challenge the process and assumptions.
Related: Why Do We Ignore Facts and Numbers?