Don’t Do the Same as Last Year!

Imagine Tom, a Financial Controller. His calendar is back-to-back with meetings and he walks around the office with an intense look on his face, because he doesn't have the time or energy to think as he rushes to his next meeting.

Tom doesn't think, he just does.

If you feel like you're constantly putting out fires like Tom, take a moment to think about your recent crunch times.

Consider:

  • What did you know?

  • Who were the people that pulled you out of the trenches when times were tough?

  • What areas/issues took the longest to resolve/ consumed a large portion of your budget?

  • What were the things you thought, 'If only I knew that one thing...'

Yes, planning for crunch times can be as long as a piece of string. But focus on the critical path and you'll have a process you can confidently rely on to ensure you can deliver when time (inevitably) gets compressed.

Implement a rapid plan that enables you to execute crunch times more effectively than had you followed the 52 step best practice procedure manual.

Crunch time key:

  • Don't do the same as last year! Remove 'nice to have' information previously gathered during planning so you're only left with 'critical path'.

How do you know it's a critical path item that should be included in your rapid plan?

  • It's on the regulator's list of 'areas of focus'.

  • The item directly and materially affects final delivery.

  • In previous years it has consumed a disproportionate amount of time and budget.

Be successful in delivering critical path, don't fail at best practice.