How it works

One of the most useful materials a new executive can have, both personally and to share with others, is a well-thought-out plan that details key goals, actions, owners, and timelines for each. This not only helps to organize an executive’s priorities and time, but it also makes communication with others about their main priorities easier. If done properly, a 180-day plan can serve as the guiding roadmap for an executive in their first 6 months, as well as the inputs to continue building subsequent plans. 

looks_oneIdentify key milestones in the next 6 months for each initiative

First, it’s important to identify the key milestones that will occur in the next 6 months. This serves as the first “layer” on the 180-day roadmap. These should include milestones for both business line priorities as well as organization-wide or cross-functional milestones. Some examples of cross-functional milestones include board meetings, town halls, key executive trips or check-ins, annual sales meetings, launch days or weeks for a product, etc. These may prove useful when communicating actions or progress of business line priorities.