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Published May 13, 2014 at 10:30 AM

Why Quarterly Plans Fail: When You Don’t Listen, You Get Rewarded with Bad Execution, Rework and Waste!

4 min read
4 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Listening is not just a leadership skill, it is an execution necessity; many priorities and projects go wrong and cause rework and waste because somebody started running with only 50% of the story.
  • Not listening before starting a project creates four pitfalls: no clarity on what success takes, a team that feels unimportant and less engaged, resources you failed to allocate surfacing later as surprise requests, and solving the wrong problem entirely.
  • Slow down and do Execution Planning before starting your projects; get into a Plan Rhythm so you understand the issues well before you run.
  • Three habits improve listening: be curious and practice active listening instead of planning what to say next, repeat back what you heard and let the other party correct you, and take notes if writing helps you listen.

Most people think of “listening” as a leadership skill. Leaders need to listen to their people. Yes, it is a leadership skill. And it is also an execution necessity. Many priorities and projects go wrong and cause rework and waste because somebody did not listen well enough. Somebody thought they understood the project well and started running with it when they only had 50% of the story. Here are the pitfalls you fall into when you don’t slow down to make sure you have listened and understood the issues well before you start your projects:Book-Mark_Goulston-Just_Listen

  1. Lack of clarity on what it takes to be successful with your team
  2. Your team feeling unimportant, less engaged, and less interested in making things happen to make your project successful
  3. Not allocating the resources that you need: You may get surprised later by a “new request” on the project that requires resources you do not have.
  4. Solving the wrong problem: You realize later that a different problem needs to be solved. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Now I have to start all over again!” Unfortunately, you might also get this reply “I did… but you did not really understand what I said.”

So, slow down a little and do some Execution Planning. Get into a Plan Rhythm. Here are some tips that may help you listen a little better and avoid those pitfalls I mentioned above:

  1. Be curious. Don’t think about what you are going to say next. Instead, practice active listening. Expect to learn something.
  2. Repeat back. Repeat back what you thought you heard and ask the team if you heard correctly. Allow the other party to correct your understanding if you did not get it right.
  3. Take notes. Some people listen better when they write. If this applies to you, take notes to help yourself listen.

Those three tips should help you listen better to develop stronger and successful execution plans with your team. For more learning on listening, read Dr. Mark Goulston’s book Just Listen. He has wonderful insights to help you listen better. Then, you can plan better and execute stronger as well.

Rhythm Systems Patrick Thean's Summary from his Rhythm book

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do quarterly plans fail?

Many quarterly plans fail in execution because somebody did not listen well enough at the start. A person thinks they understand a project and starts running with it when they only have 50% of the story, which leads to bad execution, rework, and waste.

What happens when leaders don't listen before starting a project?

Four pitfalls: lack of clarity with your team on what it takes to be successful, a team that feels unimportant, less engaged, and less interested in making the project successful, missing resources that surface later as a surprise "new request" you cannot cover, and solving the wrong problem, forcing you to start all over again.

How can leaders become better listeners?

Three tips. Be curious: practice active listening and expect to learn something instead of thinking about what you will say next. Repeat back what you thought you heard and ask the team if you heard correctly, allowing them to fix your understanding. And take notes, since some people listen better when they write.

Is listening a leadership skill or an execution skill?

Both. Most people think of listening as a leadership skill, and it is, but it is also an execution necessity. Slowing down to make sure you have listened and understood the issues before starting a project, through Execution Planning and a Plan Rhythm, leads to stronger and more successful execution plans with your team.

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Patrick Thean
Patrick is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, a WSJ and USA Today bestselling author, CEO Coach, and Co-founder of Rhythm Systems.
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