Planning &

Decision Making

Lovelace E. Cabato
Objectives

– Know the requisites of good planning

– Instill the value of system and prudence
When do we need to plan?
What is planning?

– the act or process of making or carrying out plans; specifically : the

establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit
(www.m-w.com)
- The planning process (1) identifies the goals or objectives to be achieved, (2)
formulates strategies to achieve them, (3) arranges or creates the means required,
and (4) implements, directs, and monitors all steps in their proper sequence.
(www.businessdictionary.com/definition/planning.html )
How to do Planning

– planning is setting the direction for something -- some system -- and then
guiding the system to follow the direction. There are many kinds of planning in
organizations. Common to these many kinds of planning are various phases of
planning and guidelines for carrying them out as effectively as possible.
Basic Planning Terms

Goals
– Goals are specific accomplishments that must be accomplished in total, or in some
combination, in order to achieve some larger, overall result preferred from the
system, for example, the mission of an organization. Strategies or Activities
– These are the methods or processes required in total, or in some combination, to
achieve the goals.
Objectives
– Objectives are specific accomplishments that must be accomplished in total, or in
some combination, to achieve the goals in the plan. Objectives are usually
"milestones" along the way when implementing the strategies.
Basic Planning Terms

Tasks
– Particularly in small organizations, people are assigned various tasks required to
implement the plan. If the scope of the plan is very small, tasks and activities
are often essentially the same.
Resources (and Budgets)
– Resources include the people, materials, technologies, money, etc., required to
implement the strategies or processes. The costs of these resources are often
depicted in the form of a budget. (Going back to our reference to systems,
resources are input to the system.)
Typical Phases in Planning

– 1. Reference Overall Singular Purpose ("Mission") or Desired Result from System

During planning, planners have in mind (consciously or unconsciously) some
overall purpose or result that the plan is to achieve. For example, during strategic
planning, it's critical to reference the mission, or overall purpose, of the
organization.
– 2. Take Stock Outside and Inside the System
This "taking stock" is always done to some extent, whether consciously or
unconsciously. For example, during strategic planning, it's important to conduct an
environmental scan. This scan usually involves considering various driving forces,
or major influences, that might effect the organization.
Typical Phases in Planning

– 3. Analyze the Situation

For example, during strategic planning, planners often conduct a "SWOT
analysis". (SWOT is an acronym for considering the organization's strengths and
weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats faced by the organization.)
During this analysis, planners also can use a variety of assessments, or methods
to "measure" the health of systems.
– 4. Establish Goals
Based on the analysis and alignment to the overall mission of the system,
planners establish a set of goals that build on strengths to take advantage of
opportunities, while building up weaknesses and warding off threats.
Typical Phases in Planning

– 5. Establish Strategies to Reach Goals

The particular strategies (or methods to reach the goals) chosen depend on
matters of affordability, practicality and efficiency.
– 6. Establish Objectives Along the Way to Achieving Goals
Objectives are selected to be timely and indicative of progress toward goals.
Typical Phases in Planning

– 7. Associate Responsibilities and Time Lines With Each Objective

Responsibilities are assigned, including for implementation of the plan, and for
achieving various goals and objectives. Ideally, deadlines are set for meeting
each responsibility.
– 8. Write and Communicate a Plan Document
The above information is organized and written in a document which is
distributed around the system.
Typical Phases in Planning

– 9. Acknowledge Completion and Celebrate Success

This critical step is often ignored -- which can eventually undermine the success
of many of your future planning efforts. The purpose of a plan is to address a
current problem or pursue a development goal. It seems simplistic to assert
that you should acknowledge if the problem was solved or the goal met.
However, this step in the planning process is often ignored in lieu of moving on
the next problem to solve or goal to pursue. Skipping this step can cultivate
apathy and skepticism -- even cynicism -- in your organization. Don't skip this
step.
Decision Making

– the act or process of deciding something especially with a group of people

(www.m-w.com)

– In its simplest sense, decision-making is the act of choosing between two or

more courses of action.
(www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/decision-making.html )
Cite an experience which involved
decision-making.
Decision-Making Process

Intuition
– Intuition is using your ‘gut feeling’ about possible courses of action.
– Although people talk about it as if it was a magical ‘sense’, intuition is actually a
combination of past experience and your personal values. It is worth taking your
intuition into account, because it reflects your learning about life. It is, however,
not always based on reality, only your perceptions, many of which may have
started in childhood and may not be very mature as a result.
– It is therefore worth examining your gut feeling closely, especially if you have a
very strong feeling against a particular course of action, to see if you can work
out why, and whether the feeling is justified.
Decision-Making Process

Reasoning
– Reasoning is using the facts and figures in front of you to make decisions.
– Reasoning has its roots in the here-and-now, and in facts. It can, however,
ignore emotional aspects to the decision, and in particular, issues from the past
that may affect the way that the decision is implemented.
– Intuition is a perfectly acceptable means of making a decision, although it is
generally more appropriate when the decision is of a simple nature or needs
to be made quickly.
– More complicated decisions tend to require a more formal, structured
6 Steps to Better Decision Making

1. Problem Definition
– Before you can start to take any decisions, you need to be absolutely clear the
problem you are trying to reach a decision on. One simple technique is just to
write out in a sentence what the problem is that you need to take a decision on.
2. Assess the implications
– All decisions have implications. If it is a decision at work, it has implications for
you, your peers, your team and your superiors. Depending on the decision (e.g.
a promotion at work) it may even have implications for your family, especially if
it involves relocation.
6 Steps to Better Decision Making

3. Explore different perspectives

– Perspectives are simply different lenses through which you look at the problem.
By exploring different perspectives you start to get a feel for those that you are
most attracted to.
4. Get clear on your ideal outcome
– When you are faced with a big decision, it is easy to get lost in the detail and
circumstances. An alternative is to get clear on your ideal outcome and use this
ideal outcome to inform your choices. Imagine you aspire to be a CFO of a Top
100 company. By having clarity on your outcome, you can make choices on
promotions and experience linked to this ideal outcome.
6 Steps to Better Decision Making

5. Weigh up pros and cons

– Another way of looking at a decision is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of
each of the options open to you. Simply listing the advantages and disadvantages of each
option is a powerful way of moving forward on decisions.
6. Decide and act
– Once you have gone through the previous 5 steps, commit to a choice or course of action
and start to make it happen. To avoid procrastination, give yourself permission to be okay
with any failings that might arise.
– At the end of the day there is no magic formula for decision making. Following some
simple steps and acting can however move you into the realm of effective decision maker.
The System

– Systems have inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. To explain, inputs to

the system include resources such as raw materials, money, technologies and
people. These inputs go through a process where they're aligned, moved along
and carefully coordinated, ultimately to achieve the goals set for the
system. Outputs are tangible results produced by processes in the system, such
as products or services for consumers. Another kind of result is outcomes, or
benefits for clientele, e.g., jobs for workers, enhanced quality of life for
clientele, etc. Systems can be the entire organization, or its departments,
groups, processes, etc.
SMART Goals

Specific:
– For example, it's difficult to know what someone should be doing if they are to pursue the goal to "work harder". It's easier to recognize
"Write a paper".

Measurable:
– It's difficult to know what the scope of "Writing a paper" really is. It's easier to appreciate that effort if the goal is "Write a 30-page
paper".

Acceptable/Attainable:
– If I'm to take responsibility for pursuit of a goal, the goal should be acceptable to me. For example, I'm not likely to follow the directions
of someone telling me to write a 30-page paper when I also have to five other papers to write. However, if you involve me in setting the
goal so I can change my other commitments or modify the goal, I'm much more likely to accept pursuit of the goal as well.

Realistic:
– Even if I do accept responsibility to pursue a goal that is specific and measurable, the goal won't be useful to me or others if, for example,
the goal is to "Write a 30-page paper in the next 10 seconds".

Time frame/Time Bounded:

– It may mean more to others if I commit to a realistic goal to "Write a 30-page paper in one week". However, it'll mean more to others
(particularly if they are planning to help me or guide me to reach the goal) if I specify that I will write one page a day for 30 days, rather
than including the possibility that I will write all 30 pages in last day of the 30-day period.
SMARTER Goals

Extending/Empowering:
– The goal should stretch the performer's capabilities. For example, I might be
more interested in writing a 30-page paper if the topic of the paper or the way
that I write it will extend my capabilities (motivated to continue making
progress).
Rewarding:
– I'm more inclined to write the paper if the paper will contribute to an effort in
such a way that I might be rewarded for my effort.
What and how do we plan in our
schools?
Sources

– http://managementhelp.org/planning/index.htm
– http://EzineArticles.com/817450
– https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/decision-making.html
– www.m-w.com