100 day plan (for the rest of us)

A year ago, my friend Gabriel forwarded an article entitled "100 Day Plan for the Rest of Us." The article's premise is that most U.S. presidents begin their office terms with a 100 day plan to make significant impact while steering the country in 'new' direction. Likewise, many successful CEOs use a 100 day plan to get products launched and get new initiatives started. The article, therefore, suggests that this 100-Day model is something the rest of us should consider too. I like to re-read this article at the start of every assignment to get my mind ready for tackling a new set of challenges with a fresh perspective. Here's the summary:

1. Assess the situation
2. Determine expectations
3. Identify stakeholders and build alliances
4. Understand culture
5. Target an Early Win

Pretty simple, right? Reading these suggestions, one could easily use these tips in most new situations in life. For example, imagine you're on a first date. Of course, you'll want to make good first impressions and make sure that you're both dating for the same reasons. Then, a few dates in you'll want to start finding out more about the person's circles, know who they relate to, and how that relationship was forged. And lastly, if you decide you want to make this work, you'll want to do one spectacular out of the park action to capture their heart. Bingo! Plan well-played.

But what if you totally blow it? You knew what the plan was supposed to be, but life happened instead. No fret, the same article has information on how to recover too!

1. Admit your mistake
2. Apologize
3. Fix what you broke

For some people, "my bad" is as far as they get and then they wonder why there are still hard feelings. Genuinely being able to apologize for an action taken is a key part of the 'get out of the doghouse' process. Being key to note specifically for what you are apologizing. And lastly, fixing what you broke. Now for me, outside of a programming error, this is often the most difficult of the steps. For instance,

• You called the potential partner's mom a lame-duck, frog-faced heifer? Yea, fixing that relationship might be a tough one.
• You said that the $100M client was an idiot for investing in a product. Hmm, you might not be able to convince that client that you were just speaking in their best interests.
  
• You told your boss you'd rather tap dance your way off of the nearest tall building, with middle fingers raised to the sky, before you'd take another order from him. I'd say you should just cut your losses rather than imaging getting your job back.
  

Obviously these are extreme examples. But the point is, sometimes the fixing of what you broke is the most uncomfortable part of the 'oops I did it again' clean-up. Yet, once it is done, it is likely to make the most long-lasting positive impression. Sometimes moreso than if you hadn't just fouled up to begin with.