Get more team members working “on” the business | Department Planning: Step 6 of the Talent Planning Process

Time to read: 5 minutes

A common gripe I hear from leaders is that they don’t spend enough time doing one critical thing that accelerates company growth. So what is that one thing?

Working “on” the business.

Most organizations and leaders excel at working “in” the business. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be in business for long. However, many find they cannot devote enough time working “on” the company to advance their organization.

Let me ask you: How much time in the previous month have you spent working “on” your business? 80%, 50%, or maybe closer to 20%? I know when I think about my time working “on” vs. “in,” it can be challenging to allocate the time with all of the daily fires I need to put out on my desk.

In the past, I remember certain weeks I was unable to focus on working “on” the business due to the demands of our business. I also recall times when I spent significant time working “on” the business and watched the organization’s flywheel accelerate at an unprecedented rate.

For a long time, I didn’t think I had the power to control how much I spent working “on” the business. I assumed it was out of my control.

But as I’ve worked with thousands of leaders and developed the Talent Planning Process, I discovered a way to ensure I’m always working “on” the business, no matter the season. And not only for me (the leader) but for my entire team–every department and team member. What was the discovery?

Department Planning.

High growth companies are disciplined to consistent Department Planning. They understand that Department Planning is fundamental to accelerating growth. They’ve experienced the multiplier effect of getting everyone in the organization to allocate time to work “on” the business.

In today’s Scoop and podcast (), I cover how to implement Department Planning into your organization to achieve faster growth and how to complete Step 6 of the Talent Planning Process, which is Department Plans.

As a recap, the seven steps of the Talent Planning Process are (click to read):

• Step 1: Preparation Steps
• Step 2:
• Step 3:
• Step 4:
• Step 5:
• Step 6: Department Plans (today’s Scoop)
• Step 7: Execution Cadence (I will cover this in the next Scoop and podcast)

What is a Department Plan?

A Department Plan includes what a department is going to get done–in the next sprint–to help the company achieve its goals and vision.

So why are Department Plans the sixth step in the Process?

We find it critical to first define the organization’s Strategic and Financial Vision, Talent Vision, and Leadership Talent Plan. Then, the department leader uses these four documents to build out their Department Plan, which will help move the organization toward its vision.

Department Planning is also when you cascade Talent Planning—from the leadership team—to the entire organization. It focuses each team member on working toward the vision and doing what they can–apart from working “in” the business–to move the organization forward.

The four components of a Department Plan

Now that you understand what a Department Plan is, let’s discuss the four components included in a Department Plan.

Component 1: Financial Vision

The leadership team created the organization’s Financial Vision in Step 2 (), and now each department will create its Financial Vision. Your department’s Financial Vision will include 3-4 metrics–with goals for each–that you will monitor to ensure your Department Plan is working.

In my previous role, I led the Sales and Marketing Department. So, an example of a metric we monitored in our department’s Financial Vision was our closing rate. We documented our current closing rate (30%) and put a goal (50%) for what we needed it to be by the end of the vision to achieve it (putting goals at the end of your metrics creates your Financial Vision).

Component 2: ActON Plans

The second item in your Department Plan is the action plans your department will complete to work “on” the business. We call these ActON plans. They turn your strategy into action.

These ActON Plans are things your department will complete to achieve the company sprint goals. So, using the example above, one ActON Plan in our Sales & Marketing Department to improve our close rate was to enhance our handoff process from marketing to sales.

Note: Every team member in the department should have at least one ActON plan–per sprint–they are responsible for.

Component 3: Current Organizational Structure of Department

The current organizational structure of your department is a visual of your department hierarchy, which enables your team to have greater role clarity. This visual can include each person’s behavioral science assessments and communication dos and don’ts.

Component 4: Talent Plan

You will build the Department’s Talent Plan using the same process used to create the Leadership Talent Plan. That’s why I encourage you to read the last Scoop if you missed it to learn what is in a Talent Plan ().

Some other resources that will help you build your department Talent Plan are: (1) The behavioral science assessments of your team members, and (2) using the 9-Box to visualize performance vs. potential of each department member.

How to create your Department Plan

Once the leadership team presents the plan to the organization, each department leader will begin developing their Department Plan.

First, the department leader sets two one-hour meetings with their department to complete the first two components of the Department Plan:

1. Meeting 1: Work on the Financial Vision
2. Meeting 2: Set ActON plans

(Note: the third component of the Department Plan, Current Organizational Structure, is completed by the department leader as they create their Talent Plan)

Next, the department leader schedules one-on-one meetings with each team member to gain content to create the Talent Plan.

In the one-on-one meetings, the leader will have a candid conversation around the following:

• Review their behavioral science results – where can their style and strengths bring the most significant value to the organization and themselves?
• Discuss their career goals and aspirations
• Discuss and document their top 2-3 development goals

Third-and simultaneously–the organization leader collaborates with the department leader to help shape and polish the Talent Plan. They will review the Talent Vision, Strategic Vision, and anything else to complete the Talent Plan.

Finally, each department leader will present their Department Plan to the leadership team to gain feedback and finalize. This is the last step before the department begins executing their Department Plan through the Execution Cadence (covered in the next Scoop and podcast).

The Single Scoop 🍨

If you’re the leader of an organization, work with each of your direct reports to create a Department Plan for their department. Guide them in whatever capacity they need to develop and execute the four components of a Department Plan.

If you’re a department leader, Put a Department Plan in place for your department. Do this by downloading the four templates that correspond with each component:

• Financial Vision
• ActON Plan Register
• Current Structure
• Talent Plan

Department Planning focuses your department’s limited time and energy toward working “on” the business to accelerate growth and move your organization towards its vision. Department planning is a prerequisite to experiencing accelerated growth.

And always remember, those who Talent Plan — Profit!