1000 Day Planning Process
Combining long term planning with short term tactics
A simple process that helps businesses plan and learn while they are doing.
The 1000-day planning process is an 11-step journey over 2 3/4 years that starts with a destination (Clear Definition of Success) and then involves 10 X 100-Day meetings with key stakeholders on each of those 100 day (100, 200 etc.) anniversaries.
These 100, 200, 300 day meetings are marked in advance on the calendar, and cannot be cancelled or moved.
The agenda for each 100-day meeting is a simple look backward (learning) over the past 100 days and a look forward (planning) exercise for then next phase.
Meeting 1 – Destination – Where do we want to be in 1000 Days?
Thinking about 1000 Days out
A planning session with key stake holders starts with a clear definition of success (CDS) that defines that place your enterprise is at when you "high five" and say "We did it!" (sounds of champagne corks being heard in the back ground).
The real question is what is your CDS?
In this session, we focus on words more then numbers. A paragraph sums up the vision and mission of the enterprise, using words that include “always” and “never “ to provide real clarity and purpose of the enterprises behavior and differentiation.
Targets are Included
Targets are included, annualized with real numbers and to support those, and high level key tactical activities are identified to support growth and progress to achieve the stated goals. This section is not really very different from many other planning / goal setting sessions. The difference is in the 10x100 day Planning sessions.
Meetings 2-11 PART A ; REVIEW the past 100 Days
look both ways before you cross the Street - meaning learn from the key projects in the past 100 days BEFORE you embark on the next 1000 Days
Its not all good - or all bad
• Identify the most significant 3-4 projects or activities that happened in the past 100 days. • Review them based on input from all staff, partners, customers etc. who have participated / touched a project • Input is a simple 2 minute email request to review Project A as follows o What were the best things about Project A? o What were the worst things about Project A? o If we did Project A again, what should we repeat? o If we did Project A again, what should we delete? • A project coordinator is responsible for sending out the email to all stakeholders and coordinating responses into a 1-page summary of Best, Worst, Repeat, Delete feedback.
Plan the next 100 days based on 3-4 key priorities
• Based on the overall plan, and progress to date, key tactics in the form of projects and activities are planned for the next 100 day cycle. • It is essential that senior management participate as they can provide critical updates on high level focus adjustments that have happened since the last session.
Other Comments
· It is often interesting to watch priority shifts that have occurred between what was determined to be important at the planning stage (100 day Plan) versus the review stage (200 Day Review).
· This 1000 Day plan is west in “wet concrete’, as each 100 days refinements are made to keep the enterprise on track