Leadership: What Action Steps? Part 3

Part three of this series on leadership will focus on Action Steps. There are many different terms used for this stage in the game plan, but in any case; there must be some sort of action plan or steps put into place. Now I know I haven't spoken about vision (I'm saving that till last), but these action steps should be a natural outgrowth of the vision that is cast and communicated.

The problem I most often see is that if there is vision cast and communicated, no one knows exactly what to do next. Back in one of my undergrad classes one of my professors defined a goal as both challenging and attainable. To me that is what you have to do with Action Steps. What are the next 3 to 5 steps to put us in the direction of the vision. What next steps will help the organization align with the vision?

Ways this must be communicated and followed through:
1) Action Steps must first begin with the leadership core. The leadership must work together on what actionable items they must do to align themselves with the vision of the organization. If the leadership isn't together, they must come together here otherwise they will undo the work of the rest of the organization moving forward.

2) Action Steps must be written down and disseminated throughout the organization to all with whom they involve. In other words they have to be seen at all levels so that all of the organization are on the same page as to what is next. To many times only one level receives these steps. This leaves the rest of the employees frozen, unable to see the picture of what is next. Writing them down also brings them into another level of reality, that is necessary for alignment.

3) Action steps must be specific. Specificity is important at this stage. If the steps are too broad then the organization will loose site of the end goal or vision. If the steps are too open for interpretation, then the end result may not look like the vision. When then next steps are written down in simple, easy to see and understand terms, then everyone is able to understand how to execute them. In addition to this, when they are simple and clear it is more evident when the action steps have been fulfilled.

4) Action steps must be followed through in a timely manor. In other words, they need a level of accountability attached to them. If there is no accountability built into the system, it is easy to get distracted by the next fire that one has to put out. Someone has to keep the appropriate timeline. Someone has to hold responsible parties to their specified role in the action step. This must fall on someones shoulders or the action steps are doomed to fail.

When a clear vision has been set forth (more on that in the next post), communicated clearly and from the heart, and action steps have been put into place, then you can see the movement of the organization toward an end result. This movement or change has to happen from the highest levels. This is real leadership, the kind of leadership that inspires, draws people in, and directs an organization toward its goals.

What have you done to create specific Action Steps for your organization? Who is the keeper of the timeline and the accountability? Who will champion these steps for your organization?