Business Planning in Times of Chaos and Uncertainty

Business Planning in Times of Chaos and Uncertainty

What’s the point of planning if it means we’ll fail to get to where we want to be due to unpredictability and chaos?

More than ever, these are uncertain times —but Alex Vohr is no stranger to chaos. A retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps with 25 years of active service, he’s now the Vice President of Government Affairs at Trailer Bridge. Through his experience in combat and humanitarian operations, and during the decades he’s spent in operational and strategic logistics, he’s had a plan or two fall through.

This year has been even more challenging than most for planning. COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown have changed anticipated annual trajectories, forcing companies to adapt quickly.  In some cases, organizations have had to rethink the entire business. Countless hours spent planning hasn’t saved companies from the upheaval and chaos of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Was that time spent planning actually time wasted?

Not at all, Alex says—there’s a lot of real value in the process of developing strategic plans.

First, planning results in a better understanding of ourselves.  Second, planning reveals insights on the overall business environment and the competition.  Finally, planning results in the establishment of broad and resilient goals, developed through detailed understanding and stated broadly enough to endure the daily unpredictability and chaos of the world. The understanding gained through planning ensures leaders are well informed, agile, and prepared to quickly adjust to changing business realities and develop new paths to achieve those enduring, over-arching goals.

How can you reap the greatest rewards from your own planning, even in times of uncertainty and chaos?

In ‘Why We Plan,’ Alex Vohr shares his insight and tips for business leaders serious about adapting to win. Click here to read the article on Vistage, where it was originally published.