How to stop planning

Starting to make plans for the coming year?

In Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan says, “It’s fair to ask, Do we even need a plan? Yes, but not a plan that says what must happen, a plan that says what might happen. Scenario planning has the potential to open us up to possibilities that we might otherwise not consider. Done right, it’s an inexpensive way to wrestle with uncertainty” (p. 90).

Strategy and plans are very different things. Rather than scripting a timeline of ideal events, plan for a variety of scenarios. Because, as it turns out, so much of the future is out of our control. Instead of planning for the next year, brainstorm plausible scenarios, including how you might respond to problems and opportunities out of your control.