Change of Plans
“If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan but never the goal.”
[Unknown]“Only when you stop doing what doesn’t work, can things get better.”
[Spencer Johnson]
The drive to establishing goals and developing plans to achieve them are considered important character traits of a strong leader. I believe it is equally important for a leader to be humble, to learn from one’s own or others’ mistakes, and acknowledge when plans aren’t working and must be adjusted. Plans should be used pragmatically, not dogmatically.
Welcome back to Spiegelbild!
Today, I want to share one of my own leadership lessons. This one is about setting goals, developing plans to achieve them, and translating these plans into concrete actions - only to realize that the plans don’t work, and the actions need to be adjusted. As you probably expect by now, I learned this lesson from the equine partners in my life. So, here goes.
Let’s first establish a common understanding of goals, plans and actions. I will then relate this understanding to my personal experience.
A goal is commonly defined as an aim, a desired result or the object of a person’s or team’s ambition. Goals tend to be longer-term in nature. They function as the ultimate “north star” - something to aspire towards - and as such provide overall direction, orientation and stability. For leaders it is important to not lose sight of such goals.
A plan is a detailed proposal, or an intentional road map, to achieve a set goal. It usually breaks the long-term goal down into smaller, mid-term objectives that can be easier reached, and in doing so move one closer to the goal. I see plans as a tools to help navigate the terrain one has to cross to get to the desired result. To be effective, a plan must consider the influences, circumstances and factors that might support or hinder its implementation. These influences, circumstance and factors are often external, which means we typically have little to no control over them.
Actions are how things get done - the process of taking tangible steps to follow through on a plan and make it reality. Our actions, and reactions, are what we can control. It is not so much the external influences, circumstances and factors affecting our plans that matter, it is how we react to them.
Understanding and accepting how factors outside of our control affect how we feel, behave and lead, deserves exploration through an experience I’d like to share with you.
As mentioned in my first blog, my horses continuously teach me invaluable lessons about leadership and partnership. When it comes to setting goals, making plans and defining actions, I indeed have learned many lessons over the years - especially to be adaptable and not to stick with a plan if it’s not working.
The long-term goal I have with my horses is to develop a positive, strong and lasting partnership. Such a partnership must be built on trust, and this trust must be nurtured and strengthened on an ongoing basis. One way to achieve that is to be aware of my horses’ needs, and to create an environment in which they can be successful.
On this particular Spring day, I had made the plan to go through a set of exercises with my horse, first working with her on the ground and then in the saddle. These exercises asked for a certain amount of body control from my horse, which in turn would help her to warm up, stretch her body, and relax both physically and mentally. Being in a relaxed state of mind creates a sense of safety for a horse, and that feeling of safety builds trust. Achieving a relaxed and trusting state of mind for my horse was how my plan for the day would contribute to achieving my long-term goal. Once I had mastered the exercises from the ground, I would transfer to the saddle with the same intentions. The anticipated feeling of relaxation and the related energy I was expecting to get from my horse were so lively in my imagination that they were almost tangible. And then everything changed.
When I entered the indoor riding arena with my horse, we encountered a vast number of distractions. Obstacles were set up, plastic tarps were lying on the ground, and a row of bright orange pylons was stretching from one side of the arena to the other. The biggest distraction - however - was the large arena door that had been left open by previous arena users. Think for a moment about distractions - outside of your control - that have recently impacted your plans and required a re-evaluation of a situation. I’m sure you can equate the obstacles, tarps, pylons and open barn door to external circumstances that significantly affect your life, whether at work or with family and friends.
The arena door I’m describing is huge. A tractor can easily fit through. It being open invited the outside world to come in. It was a bright, sunny day with snow on the ground that reflected the sunlight. As a result, the natural light that entered the comparatively dim arena was glaring. The rather mild temperatures caused horses outside to play and run around in their paddocks. I knew my horse would be challenged by all the distractions; the action, noise and everything else that was going on. When I made my original plan, I had imagined and expected a quiet indoor arena, and having the space mostly to myself. Now the circumstances had changed significantly. I knew the exercises I had initially planned would be too ambitious, and that they would no longer be suitable to achieve the physical and mental relaxation I wanted for my horse. This would have been the perfect time to change my plan and adjust my course of action.
Except: I didn’t.
While I was embracing my drive as a leader, i.e. establishing goals and developing plans to achieve them, I missed out on being empathetic, compassionate, and being human first. I could have reconsidered the exercises I asked of my horse to account for the changed circumstances. I could have thought about how to set her up for success, how best to support her in dealing with all the distractions, and the glaring hole in the wall. Instead, I stayed committed to my initial plan because I liked it. I was stuck in my head; until my horse spooked and bolted forward. Her strong physical reaction finally provoked a reset. I changed my approach, reduced the complexity of the exercises and focussed on helping my horse achieve balance in her body. For this horse a balanced body leads to a balanced mind. We then had a lovely, calm and quiet ride together and ended our working session with a feeling of positivity and calm.
As leaders it is important for us to treat plans pragmatically, not dogmatically. While I did not achieve what I had set out in my initial plan, I was still successful in achieving a calm, relaxed ride overall. The less complex exercises still got me one step closer to the strong, lasting relationship I wanted to build with my horse, and they helped to strengthen her trust.
Leadership is about helping others to be successful. It is not about the leader themselves. It is about the people they serve. Being adaptable, while not losing sight of the greater goal, is an important leadership skill, especially if things don’t go as planned. Changing plans, and stopping what is not working, therefore, should never be seen as weakness of leadership, but as a strength.
Plans are living things that need to evolve over time. When plans become too strict, they weigh us down and restrict us in achieving our long-term goals. Being able to acknowledge when something isn’t working, realizing the affect of changed circumstances, learning from mistakes, and building upon one’s experience are all signs of personal growth and leadership development. Don’t be afraid to change the plan.
If you are curious to learn more about what horses know about personal and leadership development, don’t hesitate to book a free 30 minute consultation through our website. We are here to support your development - one human-horse partnership at a time.
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