By Richard Martin
Getting there “firstest with the mostest” is crucial, but it can’t just be speed and mass for their own sakes. Readiness is about being vigilant, responsive, and prepared for action at the right time, with the right goals and priorities, the right capabilities, the right resources, and the right people.
- The discipline involved in formulating objectives and plans is part of what makes an organization and its actions cohesive and effective.
- We are rarely confined to a single hierarchical and functional role. We must make choices and decisions about how to focus our attention and apportion our efforts.
- Readiness is about time: the time to consider, plan, and execute actions, and the time it takes to react to evolving conditions, the actions of other stakeholders, and changes to one’s own intentions and plans.
- Military commanders and their staffs divide their work into three time horizons: immediate, current operations (or what is happening now), subsequent operations (or what will happen next), and future operations (or what comes after the next operation).
- As with military forces, each organization must have time horizons, depending on the nature of the business, competitive conditions, R&D needs, and investment horizons.
- Time horizons are inherently related to the hierarchical and functional structure of the organization. Higher-level units have longer timeframes, while lower-level units have shorter timeframes. Strategy, operations, and tactics are related to time horizons and organizational structure.
- Strategy determines the existence and fundamental purpose of the organization. Operations is the way the strategy gets translated to action and results. Tactics is what you do with the forces on hand to get the job done now and in the very near future.
- The combination of time horizons and organizational levels, with strategy, operations and tactics generates a comprehensive framework to implement the Business Readiness Process.
Richard Martin’s Business Readiness Process:
- Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
- Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
- Activate organization or team.
- Conduct reconnaissance.
- Do detailed situational estimate.
- Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
- Perform risk management and contingency planning.
- Communicate plan and issue direction.
- Build organizational robustness.
- Ensure operational continuity.
- Lead and control execution.
- Assess performance.
Contact me to apply the whole thing–or just a piece, as needed–to improve your strategy, your readiness… and your results!
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Why Sunday and What Does “Stand To” Mean?
Sunday? I want you to get my insights and advice first and fast, so you can prepare and up your readiness and results before others even know what’s happening!
And Stand To? It’s the order used in the military to get forces to man the parapets and be in a heightened state of situational awareness and, yes, readiness, so they can face any threat or undertake any mission.
My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.
© 2017 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.