Together we can make 2021 a success
Shaping your 2021
It is almost impossible to plan for the future. In these turbulent times who knows what’s going to happen next month, let alone next year or 3-5 years? Let’s see if we can make 2021 a success together and finish that all important, never-ending task: operational planning.
“Unless you are a fortune-teller, long term business planning is a fantasy”
– Jason Fried
Focusing your operational plans on long-term organisational goals
At Ad Esse, we recommend a two-speed approach to your business strategy. It’s important to have a long-term goal to keep working towards and stay focussed on your true purpose. This is your vision and mission statement; if you don’t have a good one already that truly reflects your organisation, our storytelling offer can help you communicate your purpose for being and what you ambitiously want to achieve in an ideal world. Take a look at ours for inspiration.
Your strategic objectives are goals outlining how your organisation will achieve its mission (usually revised over a 3 – 5 year period). From this, you can plan your priorities for this year, and success measures to know whether you’re achieving what you want. Have you tried OKRs? Our guide for planning your Objectives and Key Results is useful for this stage.
Pairing long-term with short-term (agile to the rescue!)
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how to adapt quickly. When making your long-term plans, allow wiggle room for short-term disruptions. That’s where an agile mindset can help, particularly in times of uncertainty (like Covid!). The agile methodology allows you to make quick shifts effectively and empowers team members to make speedy decisions for themselves. That’s why our Implementation Managers are agile experts and make the most of these principles when delivering projects for our clients.
According to Marketing Week’s 2021 trends, teams that adopted an agile mindset last year are now thinking “about how to bring that approach to life in the hybrid office environment”, with people working from home and the office. As Tracy Bower explains in Forbes, “In situations where a majority of members are in a conference room and others are remote, presence disparity can get in the way, privileging those in the room. When all team members are calling in, it can facilitate the collaboration because it equalizes participants.” Tracy continues the article with tips for incorporating agile into your workplace.
Examples of how companies are shaping up for 2021
“I see 2021 as a year of action: taking action to ensure our employees are supported; taking action to combat climate change; and taking action on our words to achieve equity and social justice.
– Mary Barra, Chairman & CEO at General Motors (source)
“We have to keep that momentum from last year, and the ability to adapt and pivot and innovate based on where we head because there are still so many unknowns.”
– Kerry Chivers, Brands Director at Direct Line Group (source)
“We’ve always had mobile working at Siemens, but we’re taking it a step further. The basis for this forward-looking working model is further development to our corporate culture. These challenges will also be associated with a different leadership style, one that focuses on outcomes rather than on time spent at the office. We trust our employees and empower them to shape their work themselves so that they can achieve the best possible results. With the new way of working, we’re motivating our employees while improving the company’s performance capabilities and sharpening Siemens’ profile as a flexible and attractive employer.”
– Ronald Busch, Deputy CEO & Labour Director at Siemens AG (source)
Ad Esse Consulting's 3 Strategic Priorities
At Ad Esse, our business plan that centres around three key strategic priorities:
- Deliver excellent, value-adding services
- Be great employers, and
- Growth.
To progress these in 2021 we have created our annual objectives which include: to launch our coaching and mentoring services; to continue to develop and nurture partnerships that bring value to our clients; and to expand our personal professional development offer.
I hope you feel inspired and fully motivated to finish your business planning for this year. We’d love to hear your goals for 2021 and compare notes over a virtual coffee. If you need anything, email hello@ad-esse.com or use our Contact page.
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