Planning from a Different ViewpointTexts and courses on planning abound. And they all call for starting with a clear definition of the desired outcome. Once that eventual outcome is defined, they tend to use a methodology which calls for starting at the present and building systematically toward that goal.In this episode I propose an alternate approach, one I've used for decades to great effect. It calls for beginning the planning process at the point at which the outcome is achieved, not at the present. Instead of building steps sequentially from the present to the future, this alternative approach starts at the end of the process. It then builds steps sequentially from the desired outcome back to the starting point. I call it "planning backward."As conventional planning defines a step in the process, it asks, "What must happen next?" The approach which I'm suggesting takes an opposite tack. Once it defines a task, it asks, "Before this step can occur, what must be in place?"In the podcast, I spell out the distinct benefits of this technique, especially when planning entails a large numbers of moving parts. With so many considerations to account for, planning forward from the present can easily fail to recognize and make provision for one or more critical components. Later, when these neglected elements are recognized, timetables for the plan are disrupted as accommodations are made to address them.Planning backward minimizes that risk. This podcast explains why. A transcript of the program is available at https://www.upsizeyourleadership.com/episodes.

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