My wife and I had a really great break for our first Christmas--we saw lots of friends and family, had a lot of fun shopping in downtown Lancaster (buy local!), and ate an inappropriate amount of rich food. But I tend to think about Mission Research even on breaks, and have been working on the 2008 plan in my head, on paper, and on the computer.
Planning for 2008 has been both challenging and exciting. It's challenging because we have so much we need to do, plus the things we'd really like to do but can't. It's exciting because the process of planning has led me back to the origins of the business, and I've been thinking a lot about our values, vision, and original goals, and the gap between that and reality. The planning should help close that gap, and shape the vision for the future.
Our planning process is led by me but it will be a group process spanning several weeks. We have a general plan & goals--shipping a significant upgrade, releasing an exciting new product, and improving every part of the company--but in the process we've learned we should change the way we do some things, the way we measure our efforts, and the way we plan and execute. It's not easy work, but it's worthwhile.
Do you have a 2008 plan? How do you go about planning? For me, it's this: review mission, values, and long-term goals, and use that to inform determining 2008 goals, the plans to get there, and the resources and roles needed to support the plans (we have multiple departments, whose plans will work together for the master plan).
We'll also look at communications, work environment, professional development, etc and weave those into the larger plans. It sounds like a lot but with focus the outcome should be solid and fairly simple.
Wish me luck, and let me about your planning process!
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