It seems that the more that I work with Managers in the different functional areas of a company, I have seen a particular theme in the approach to planning annual revenue and profitability targets.  The majority of the “players” are looking to have a new product or sales initiative to be their “home run” for the year.  With this approach, there is a significant level of risk in relying on a single initiative to achieve the annual plan.  Once that “home run” becomes a single or double, or perhaps a strike-out, you’re left scrambling in the last few innings of the year to come up alternatives, which will usually be a poor band-aid to the original plan.

 

Read my full commentary in Base Hits ….