Usually a planning team gets caught in the excitement of what has to be done. Subsequently all the objectives seem to stack up in the first quarter or the first year for completion. A recommendation is in order. Space your objectives over a period of time by laying them on a Gantt chart to see the stacking effect. This gives the planning team some sense of when the objectives must be completed and their approximate relationship with each other. Rearrange the spacing by considering the following:
- Establish an organizational priority for the objectives. Some objectives have higher organizational impact than others. Often an objective gets a priority because of some higher management attention or need. Sometimes they are just fun things to do and have the favor of the management team. This is not necessarily bad.
- Examine the sequence of the objectives. What must be done first, then second, and so forth? Can any of the objectives be done in tandem? Some may be able to run at the same time as others. Is one objective necessarily done first because other objectives hinge on the completion of its activities? Line the objectives up in order of critical achievements.
- Consider the resources required to achieve the objective. What and who will you need to do the job? Are the resources committed for too many other objectives? Are the resources available? The objective may depend on your hiring someone for a key position.
- Consider the workload. The tendency is to overload a management team. Consider the volume of work, the ability and energy level of the team, and a realistic view of time. Can you keep the pace with too much loaded into the organization calendar?