Management Essay

1

MANAGEMENT

How to Make a Plan That Works?

Faisal Bajunaid

Tiffin University

MGT201-05

How to Make a Plan That Works?

A work plan is an outline of a set of goals and processes by which a team can accomplish those goals, offering the reader a better understanding of the scope of the project. The managers need to work harder on their plan before they give it to their employees. With a clear plan, employees can understand what is the mission. In addition, work plans will help the employees to know how long the mission will take to complete. It will motivate them to reach the goal. Work plans, whether used in professional or academic life, will help manages stay organized while working on projects. As manager, learning how to write a work plan is very important to prepare for upcoming projects. “One way of writing effective goal for yourself, your job, or your company is to use the S.M.A.R.T guidelines. The S.M.A.R.T goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely” (Williams, 2015).

First, making the goal more specific. When the manager is writing his plan, he needs to show the employees what is his goal exactly. He needs to clarify his goals which will help the employees to understand exactly their managers want from them.

Second, Measurable is the second S.M.A.R.T guidelines. The managers’ plans have to be more realistic that employees can do it. For example, when the manager writes a long term plan, and wants he employees to finish it in short time.

Third, is the plan attainable? Before the managers give their plans to their employees, they need to understand if it is possible to achieve. The manager needs to explain his goal to the

employees and convince them that the goal is possible. For example, when I was working at a supermarket, my manager set a goal as to how quickly each customer had to be checked out. We had two to five minutes. The first time it was very difficult to attain. However, the company Allowed us to engage in a two months training in order to help us reach the goal.

Fourth, employees need to believe on their manager’s plan. It has to be realistic for them because they will not complete their job if they the plan does not make sense to them. However, if the manager gives the following steps of his plan to his employees, they will work so much harder to achieve the goal because the plan is realistic for them.

Finally, a goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. The employees need to know how long they need to achieve the goal. For example, if you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” would not work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you have set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

In conclusion, having an outline of your plan will helps you and your employees to achieve the goal that you looking for. With the S.M.A.R.T guidelines, manager can make a great plan if he follows the S.M.A.R.T guidelines step by step. Also, it will help the employees to know everything about the plan and how they can make it become reality.

Resources

Reference: Williams, C. (2015). MGMT: principles of management.

(7thed) South-Western College Pub.