Planning can often be a frustrating and time-consuming process that feels unnecessary or of low priority. For some leaders when you already have an end goal or desired outcome in mind, taking time to work on the idea with your team or partners can seem unimportant. If your goal is to hit the target, it might be worth the extra effort to aim before you fire.
The phrase "Ready, Fire, Aim" is a humorous idiom about the prioritization of action over planning. A play on the expression “ready, aim, fire,” which suggests focus and preparation before firing a weapon and, by extension, taking action. The phrase is often used amongst entrepreneurs and startups that feel pressured to act fast but often time find their actions missing the mark and maybe even becoming a waste of resources.
For businesses and organizations, the value of planning and preparation tends to pay off in the end as you work through a well thought out process that often includes some critical steps.
· Goal Setting: Identifying what you are trying to achieve and what the outcome value will be.
· Planning: Working through strategies and identifying any potential issues or problems that may leave the outcomes short of your goals.
· Consensus Building: Identifying key partners and stakeholders that have an interest that may impact or be affected by the action.
· Timing: Establishing and understanding when the right time is to act to better ensure success.
Understanding good process is an important part of any healthy business or organization. By establishing how decisions are made, and what drives that decision making gives you better long-term outcomes and helps to build and maintain confidence of your leadership.
