| Most businesses pride themselves on their brilliant | | | | workload and tasks. Completely ignore, for now, |
| strategies. However, ask how they translate | | | | what has been captured and ranked in Steps One |
| strategy into tactics to generate results and they | | | | and Two. (That information will resurface in a later |
| will predictably go silent. | | | | stage in the process.) This step allows you and |
| What they lack is simply a goal- and | | | | your people to think freely, both inside and |
| priority-setting system to bridge strategy and | | | | outside the box. Bring up topics such as the |
| tactics that creates action and accountability. | | | | company’s positioning and messaging, |
| Target Action Planning (TAP) is a technique you | | | | changing trends in the market, buying influences, |
| can use when your company is embarking on a | | | | the competitive landscape, assessment of the |
| new initiative or effort with which it has little or no | | | | opportunity base, customer satisfaction (and |
| experience. This might be the development of a | | | | retention), the effectiveness of your sales and |
| new market, the building or modifying of a | | | | distribution channel, acquisitions, and strategic |
| distribution channel or the launch of a new product | | | | alliances with third-party resources. |
| or concept, each of which spawns a new process | | | | Sort out and document all output from this |
| in the organization. It may even support a newly | | | | brainstorming session, grouping the entries in |
| created role among your staff. | | | | common categories—for example, market |
| Use TAP when your company needs to evaluate, | | | | issues or sales-related considerations. The resulting |
| assess and fine-tune its workload and priorities. | | | | list of priorities is your Hit List. |
| TAP involves assessing the skills, resource | | | | Step Four: Define the key areas of focus derived |
| allocation and priorities of your business and how | | | | from the brainstorming session |
| closely they align with your strategic directives. | | | | Rank the items on the Hit List from most |
| Every company needs an effective system that | | | | significant to least significant in terms of value and |
| aligns its people and departments with the | | | | impact. Then, classify each entry as high, medium |
| common goals that correspond to the Critical | | | | or low priority. At this stage, you need to get |
| Success Factors (CSFs)—the things that, if not | | | | tough. Scrutinize your Hit List. Trade-offs may be |
| done, will result in the company’s failing. TAP | | | | required, but your final list should represent a valid |
| aligns company resources and provides the | | | | picture of your company’s top priorities. |
| means to negotiate (cross-departmentally) for | | | | Each item on the final list will be compared to the |
| resource priority and allocation. This is a key area | | | | Hit List captured in Step Three. They will either be |
| that plagues many organizations. | | | | a match, a pure mismatch, or in the “gray |
| TAP brings balance, coordination and integration to | | | | zone” (which means uncertainty) compared to |
| the organization and minimizes personal agendas. | | | | the scope of key items discussed in the |
| The seven steps of Target Action Planning | | | | brainstorming session. |
| Step One: Define current tasks, priorities and | | | | At this point, decide the fate of each item on the |
| projects for yourself and the employees who will | | | | Hit List: commit and do it, reprioritize it and do it |
| use the TAP system | | | | later (decide on a target start date) or eliminate it |
| This list includes anything that is currently | | | | because it is not critical. |
| consuming company time, energy and effort. This | | | | When you are done, the TAP process will have |
| is simply a definition phase. No assessments or | | | | generated the undisputable priorities for your |
| judgments are made. Generate a document, using | | | | company. |
| the following example, for each of these tasks. | | | | Step Five: Compare the results of Step Four |
| The Target Action Planning (TAP) Document | | | | (what your company SHOULD BE doing) with the |
| Task or project (defined in 5 words): | | | | input from Steps One and Two (what your |
| ____________________________ | | | | company IS doing) |
| Status of task: | | | | This could be an eye-opener. You may discover |
| _____________ | | | | that your people have been focusing on the |
| (New assignment, work-in-progress, close to | | | | wrong things—things that do not fuel CSFs. |
| completion) | | | | Have your managers determine what (and to |
| Target date for completion of task: | | | | whom) they will delegate from their original task |
| _____________________________ | | | | list to make room for more important priorities. |
| Name of the employee managing this task: | | | | Step Six: Develop a new TAP document for each |
| _______________________ | | | | high- and medium-priority item on your Selected |
| Resources need to complete the task,particularly | | | | Final Hit List |
| cross-departmental or external company sources: | | | | The TAP document is a working action plan for a |
| _________________________ | | | | specific task or priority. A successful TAP |
| _________________________ | | | | document defines the task or project, the person |
| Step Two: Prioritize each of the projects or tasks | | | | responsible for it, and the team or |
| identified in Step One | | | | cross-departmental resources that will be needed. |
| Rank each task as high, medium or low priority | | | | It sets a realistic target date for completion, |
| from the perspective of the individual or group | | | | outlines specific details about what the task will |
| that put the TAP document together for that | | | | produce or generate, and lists the specific steps |
| task. Discuss CSFs with your staff during this | | | | necessary to complete the task. It also gives a |
| ranking process. Most of us dedicate 70% or | | | | clear definition of the expected results. |
| more of our time to “operational tasks,” | | | | Step Seven: Implement the program |
| things that are not necessarily critical to the | | | | Conduct an orientation and kick-off session for |
| business. The CSFs, however, usually correspond | | | | your new priorities. Start slowly, tackling less |
| to the strategic initiatives that drive the business. | | | | challenging priorities and building from there. You |
| Ask your staff what they believe to be the CSFs | | | | want your people to taste success early and |
| that support the business as a whole, their | | | | often. |
| group’s function, and their individual function. | | | | Target Action Planning is simple, elegant and |
| Step Three: Conduct a brainstorming exercise | | | | effective. How well does your company currently |
| with your staff | | | | bridge strategy and tactics? |
| You need to clear the slate so you can look at | | | | Are you ready to take a serious look at TAP and |
| the picture without the constraints and priorities | | | | apply it to your business? |
| that revolve around your company’s current | | | | |