Too often leaders—even the best ones—can get stuck on little power struggles and personality conflicts. It’s understandable and human but not in service to our goals.
The strategy I often refer the leaders I coach to is called “Beat the plan.” When you have many important issues and not infinite time, “Beat the plan” is a way for leaders and teams to speed up decision making and, at the same time, increase quality of those decisions and camaraderie of the team. I refined the approach from Sylvia Mathews Burwell. If you have not heard of Sylvia it’s due only to her humility as she was a Rhodes Scholar, a President of the Gates Foundation, Walmart Foundation and best known for running OMB at the White House. She was so well liked and regarded by Republicans and Democrats alike, she was sent over to run HHS.
Syl explained it this way. In the White House, one might have a million decision points, all important and not as much time as you want for each. As example, say “What are we going to do with a surplus when we balance the budget?” (Yes that happened, she said!) is the question of the day. Hypothetically, instead of OMB getting a proposal shot down, the “plan beats no plan” approach or “beat the plan” gets leaders to come to the conversation with baked ideas and strategies, ensuring people become more aligned, and has the added benefit of strengthening proposals.
Here’s how “Beat the plan” works. Whoever’s in charge of an area develops a plan, usually with a solid frame but imagine it’s like 60-80% developed and directionally correct. That person would then drop the plan on the table and say “Beat the plan.” Then everyone (having pre-read) can make suggestions.
- They can make it a little better with small tweaks.
- They can suggest more significant changes.
- They can propose big changes.
- Or they can propose an entirely new plan.
If no one says boo, that is the plan and no one can give you grief later that they didn’t have a chance to help shape the plan. All suggestions have to beat the existing plan. This helps get away from power struggles and “whose idea” it was. If I have a B+ plan and everyone helps get it to A- or A, great. If someone wants to propose a completely different plan, also OK, but it should be an A- or better plan, not something the group would see as a B- or worse.
Every person and every situation is different but you see the benefits.
- It speeds things up. Most of us can frame a plan that is directionally correct quickly, so the plan is 60, 70, 80% there. Then the team can crowd source think and make it stronger quickly as well.
- You get increased group buy in and trust. Everyone will spot stuff you didn’t consider. This pairs well with the RACI model, since you are activating the ask of input for other stakeholders.
What are the keys to make it work well? Think “strong view, loosely held.”
It’s important that the owner of the plan have a solid POV and be open to better. If you reject all input, especially stuff that actually would make it better, people will be reluctant next time.
Equally, the folks giving the input have to learn to give and then let go. As our friend Ray Chambers says “detach yourself from the outcome.”
All leaders are control freaks in some ways. It’s part of what makes you so effective but also becomes limiting if you’re not also mentally strong enough to let go. Most input can be heard but only some can realistically be incorporated so give and let go.
This came up from a coaching I had with an SVP for a large firm in London.
- Alison “I tried to give my CEO input—he didn’t listen so I am not doing that again.”
- BH “Can I offer a different way to think about that?”
- Alison “Of course,” Alison said.
- BH Your choice of basketball, futbol/soccer or baseball analogy.”
- Alison “Soccer.”
- “BH Name one of the all-time greats.”
- Alison “Mmmm… Lucy Bronze.”
- BH “OK, every time Lucy touched the ball did it go in the goal?”
- Alison “No, lol.”
- BH “But you said she was an all time great. Did I not hear you right?”
- Alison “That’s not how it works!”
- BH “Exactly. She might touch it 30 times, 7 attacking shots, 4 actual shots on goal and 2 get through.”
- Alison “Yes.”
- BH “It’s the same with input. Give 30 pieces of input. 7 will be heard. 4 will be considered. 2 will be implemented. So what’s the right mindset to have when you have input to share?”
- Alison “Take the shot and keep playing.”
- BH Goal!!
Bill Hoogterp is a bestselling author, an entrepreneur, and one of the top executive coaches worldwide. He has advised dozens of Fortune 500 CEOs, and last year, his company LifeHikes offered trainings at more than 100 global companies in 47 countries and seven languages. In his series for Fortune, he answers real questions from executives striving to become better leaders. To learn more about Bill, visit lifehikes.com. To reach Bill email bill_hoogterp@lifehikes.com.
