Planning Principles Worth Remembering
Youth Ministers are not known for being good planners. There are exceptions that disrupt the curve, but not enough to create a majority shift.
It’s almost as if we think that if we planned, we wouldn’t be fun or spontaneous. Of course, this is not true.
Despite the hesitation, here are a few planning principles worth remembering:
Plans create a target. Having something on the calendar sets a process in motion. Even if the process is neglected you know where you stand: you will know if you are ahead or behind or whether you need to get laser-focused or if you can relax a bit.
Pro tip: Consider taking time each week to look at the next six weeks on your calendar. This weekly review will keep targets clearly in your view. You can then determine the steps you need to take and when you need to take them.
Plans can change. Up until plans are publicized, you can change, tweak, or delete. You are never really locked in until plans are publicized. At that point you need to follow through, otherwise, you will start to lose respect for what people expect.
Pro tip: Publicizing your plans creates accountability. Now, follow through and process your plan thoroughly.
Planning gives you more time to gather ideas. This is the most valuable part of good planning; you have the opportunity to incubate ideas. The farther ahead you can plan the more time you have to collect and test ideas.
Pro tip: Invest in a system that will help you store your ideas where you can review and add notes. There are several new analog (paper) systems on the market and one of the best digital systems is Evernote.
Plans can be evaluated. This just makes sense, right? If you have a plan, then you can look back after an event is over and have a guide to evaluating.
Pro tip: Evaluate immediately after an event is over, whether it is the next day or the following week, do it as soon as possible. Even better, evaluate with others, and learn to value their input.
If not knowing how to evaluate is what’s stopping you, check out an easy 3 question evaluation for future growth from our friend, Wes Henson, here.
Plans beget plans. With practice, you will get better at it. No one is perfect when it comes to planning so go ahead and take the risk.
Pro tip: Plans align with goals. The best planners have a process for planning. They develop plans annually, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily. Sounds like a lot but it’s just a rhythm. Get started and you will find the rhythm that works best for you.
Finally, stick with us. In our commitment to help you “shape students to shape the world” we will provide planning steps throughout the year that will keep you on track.