Actions and targets

Each objective in your plan needs actions and targets that very clearly set out what you are going to do.

Targets should be realistic, yet inspiring. Negotiate targets with those who understand the specific part of the work best.

There are several key elements:

• A quantitative target of what is to be achieved - so many people counselled; so many training courses run; so many newsletters produced.
• The qualitative standard to be achieved and how it is to be measured.
• The date by which the activity will be completed. For many activities, of course, there will be a series of dates, for preparation, introduction and implementation.
• The person or people who will carry it out.
• The budget for that activity.

Setting and agreeing these targets is absolutely vital to the success of the plan, and hence to the organisation's future. Failure to set targets and allocate responsibility for action is one of the main reasons why plans are not implemented. See targets, dates and responsibilities chart.

Find out more about other strategic planning issues and examples in the In more depth section.