Jim Crocker, CEO of Boardroom Metrics has posted a YouTube video on tips for running an effective planning process.

Having watched many clients waste time and resources on planning that goes nowhere, Crocker’s tips are (once again) simple:

1. start early – planning for 2009 in February is a little late!
2. make planning a priority – there will always be more important things to focus on for the company that isn’t really committed to planning
3. planning is lead by senior management – the CEO in particular should have a clear perspective on what needs to be accomplished in the upcoming year and the key strategies for getting there – engaging the rest of the organization in the process is important but simply tossing planning to others in the organization never works
4. planning and budgeting are inextricably linked – which sounds obvious but gets overlooked – budgets should reflect the allocation of resources necessary to execute the planning priorities – if they don’t, then the plan priorities are just imaginary ideas for making something happen
5. follow-up to make sure the plan is working – too many organizations spend resources on planning then NEVER revisit the plan to measure accomplishments or check direction – which makes planning pretty much a complete waste of time

For people and organizations used to organized, well run planning processes, Crocker’s tips must seem overly simplistic. Unfortunately, they reflect reality – based on Crocker’s experience more companies fail at effective planning than succeed – usually because the simple approach required to execute properly is overlooked.

The video is posted here.

The Boardroom Metrics blog is here.

Jim Crocker, CEO of Boardroom Metrics has posted another helpful video on YouTube about working with consultants.

Titled ‘How to Engage a Consultant’, Crocker provides some simple tips for finding and setting up a relationship with a consultant.  They include:

1. talking to multiple consultants to ensure that you have the right one before engaging
2. clarifying with the consultant what the outputs of the engagement will be – ensuring that you are not disappointed down the road
3. clarifying the terms of the engagement including outputs, fee and timing
4. putting the terms in writing and getting the consultant to sign it

Again Crocker has kept it simple but there are a couple of things that could be added.

First,  the terms should include the conditions for terminating the engagement with the consultant – usually some kind of ‘break up’ fee, or notice period.

Second, although Crocker says “you don’t need a lawyer” when putting the terms in writing, he’s not precluding the idea that you may want to engage a lawyer, particularly for significant engagements.

Finally, he fails to mention that the consultant should always sign a confidentiality agreement before beginning the engagement.