LTYM - Planning

Letters to a Young Manager

Planning, #561
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Please note that this letter is in-process; the following are my notes

Dear Adam,

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Quotes about planning from SI-537 lecture 7

"“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” – Eisenhower
He went on to say, “There is a very great distinction because when you are planning for an emergency you must start with this one thing: the very definition of “emergency” is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning.” --Eisenhower

“A good deal of corporate planning ... is like a ritual rain dance. It has no effect on the weather that follows, but those who engage in it think it does. ... Moreover, much of the advice related to corporate planning is directed at improving the dancing, not the weather." – Brian Quinn
“No plan survives contact with the enemy” – von Moltke (paraphrased)
In an unexpected chaotic situation “we need to first act to stabilize the situation quickly” – Dave Snowden
The value and necessity of creating a POA is planning for practice (both in terms of preparedness and execution) – yours truly

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Sincerely yours,
Ed

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Eisenhower quote from from R. Nixon, cited in Quote Investigator, https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/11/18/planning/
Quinn quote is quoted in Tom Peters, Lessons in Leadership, "Strategic Planning R.I.P.," p. 9, TPG Communications, 2/28/94
Dave Snowden quote in “The Cynefin Framework,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7oz366X0-8 (4:45ff)
Also see Dwight D. Eisenhower Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved June 28, 2021, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/dwight_d_eisenhower_164720
The history of the Eisenhower and von Moltke quotes is here:
Eisenhower went on to say: “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. There is a very great distinction because when you are planning for an emergency you must start with this one thing: the very definition of “emergency” is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning.” https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/11/18/planning/

Takeaways:

Plans are made to be derailed

Discussion Questions:

For Further Reading: