All too often, organizations spend a lot of time developing good strategic plans only to put them on the shelf and not implement them effectively. This occurs repeatedly in businesses everywhere and it speaks to the lack of discipline and management skills that is epidemic among the business community. In some cases plans are partially implemented and others not at all. The written document simply sits on a shelf and gathers dust. The end result is usually continued frustration and sub-par performance.
Implementation requires a sound action plan and accountability.
Before beginning any sort of planning process, ask yourself if you and others will have the discipline and follow through necessary to implement effectively. When an employee quits there is often a void in knowledge and job-specific skills. This is most often a result of not having other employees trained to do other jobs. When possible it is wise to have employees learn similar or related jobs. It is important to stress that employees possessing the skills and knowledge about a particular job are expected to transfer their knowledge to others as requested.