Planning

• Setting Goals
• Planning
• Scheduling

Setting goals

Goals are the results that are to be achieved.  Goals keep organizations and individuals focused.  A focus on commonly understood goals insure the work in your organization is completed as efficiently and effectively as possible.  The goals of your organization should align with the goals of the overall company or organization.  The goals of the individuals who work for you should align with your organization's goals.  Alignment of goals insures from the overall company to the individual also insure efficiency and effectiveness.  Typical goals for employees might include learning new skills by a set date or passing a licensing test.  Goals also provide the basis for measuring performance.

Resources

1. Separating the goal from the mission and keeping your eye on the ball  
   Advice for supervisors and managers from Fast Company magazine and Marshall Goldsmith.

Planning

Once the goals are established, planning identifies the steps that will move your organization from where it is to where you want to be (goals).  Inherent in the planning process is an analysis of information, possible outcomes, and alternatives.  In mapping out the steps, a supervisor will also identify the time materials and personnel required.

Dave "Lefty" Lefkowith is a dynamic hands-on change agent, successful as an executive, a corporate consultant, an entrepreneur and a speaker/trainer.  Here's an insight from Lefty on strategic planning.  You can learn more from Lefty at Management Skills.

The best planning is always reality-based.  And in any business organization (public or private) reality starts with a budget.  Budgets drive organizations, and they are important tools for operational accountability. 

But the best strategic planning sessions do not start with a simple budget review.  Instead, the management team should develop an annual review that highlights the key challenges and accomplishments of the organization in the year just finished.

An effective annual review should cover at least the following topics:

1)           Financial Highlights (revenues, earnings, balance sheet changes)

2)           Performance on Prior Year’s Strategic Priorities

3)           Key Industry Trends

4)           Key Stakeholder Developments

5)           Management “Going Forward” Insights / Concerns 

Keys

• Planning Considerations  Focus on a clear purpose including sub-goals, appropriate people resources, facilities and equipment, methods and processes, estimate of costs, schedule, controls, evaluation of results, anticipate possible problems, talk to others, and remain objective.

Scheduling

Supervisors need to schedule work to meet deadlines.  Deadlines provide a tangible sense of accomplishment and closure for work.  Deadlines provide motivation and urgency for individuals to complete the work.  Schedules are essential when multiple resources are required.  Work must be performed and completed in a logical, cost effective sequence to maximize efficiency.  For example, the relatively simple task of preparing dinner becomes unmanageable without the scheduling of buying the ingredients, preparing the ingredients and then cooking the ingredients.

Supervision Solution 

How do I?  What do I say?  Management and supervision solutions to the most frequent and most difficult supervisory issues and problems on scheduling employees.     

1. My employee called in sick a few days ago.  We haven't heard from her and when we called her line is busy.  What should I do?

2. How do I schedule my employees during the holidays?

3. How should I prioritize my work?