Patrick Thean's Personal Blog

2023 Annual Planning Process: Brainstorming 20 Ways to Beat the Annual Targets

We were working on a CEO's plan for the next year when I noticed his team fidgeting and looking uncomfortable during our planning session...

Team Planning: How to do Team Planning for Team Focus & Alignment

It’s time to slow down and develop a world-class team execution plan for next year. When we don’t slow down to plan our execution, our..

Your Priority Areas for the Next Quarter: Effective Goal Examples

A new quarter is starting. It is time to discuss, prioritize and choose your top priorities for the new quarter. How do you do this? How do..

20 Ways to Achieve Your 2023 Annual Plan

What should you do if you cannot seem to come up with enough sales opportunities to hit the revenue target for next year? This scenario..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Strategy vs Execution: Don't Confuse Strategic Thinking and Strategy Execution

It is easy to confuse your strategy and your 3-year strategic plan. I have seen somany leaders tell me that they have a great strategy...

4 Tips for a Strong Annual Plan

It’s that time of year again when executives are thinking about their annual plan and asking themselves, “where do I start?” A lot of..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

13 Week Plan: To Execute Well, Run a 13-Week Race Every Quarter

Every quarter is a thirteen-week race. It goes by fast. Before you know it, the quarter is over. And then the year is over. You are left..

Annual Planning - Focus on Your Core Customer

Not all customers are created equal. Some are more equal than others. We refer to these as our Core Customers. Core Customers are the..

How Simms Fishing Engages Their Employees

We are proud to announce that Retail TouchPoints recently featured two of our long-time clients, Simms Fishing Products, and luxury..

How Successful Leaders Set Goals to Finish the Year Strong [Video]

It’s time to plan your fourth quarter and finish the year strong! One of the reasons plans fail is due to poorly defined goals and..

Expert Annual Planning Tips [Interview]

During Q4, many companies begin to think and plan for the next year. To gain insight into the process and importance of planning for the..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

CEOs: Create a Strong Quarterly Plan to End the Year [Video]

A new quarter is upon us. It is time to learn from the quarter that just ended and develop a killer plan to end the year strong. I believe..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Don't Just Spend the Budget: Design an Effective Annual Planning Process

Many companies begin their annual planning process by first creating their annual budget. Then they bring the budget to their annual..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Remembering Steve Jobs on October 5 (Annual Planning - 2017)

Steve Jobs died a year ago today. Apple honors Steve on their home page www.apple.com today with a video tribute. I wrote a post earlier..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Questions & Answers from Annual Planning Webcast (Annual Planning - 2017)

Some of you asked questions on Patrick's most recent webcast "Is Your Annual Plan Helping You Double Your Business? We took the ones we..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning: 9 Tips to Focus & Align Your Team With a Great Plan (Annual Planning - 2017)

It’s time to slow down and develop a world class execution plan for next year. When we don’t slow down to plan our execution, our teams..

Annual Planning: Does Your Plan for 2013 Include Winning Moves? (Annual Planning - 2017)

It is important to have winning strategies that drive your annual plan. Don't just focus on revenues and profit and growth. Also focus..

Annual Planning Tips (Annual Planning - 2017)

Happy New Year to our friends and customers! Here is to a great 2012.

As you begin your new year, here are a couple of ideas and..

Do You Have the Right Data and Insight for Your Upcoming Annual Planning? (Annual Planning - 2017)

How do you prepare for your annual planning session? How do you get the best data and insights to maximize the outcome of your planning..

Annual Planning: An Inspiring Destination Postcard (Annual Planning - 2017)

Simms Fishing is an amazing company with a truly inspiring year ahead of them. Their uncompromising desire to put out the highest quality..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning - Focus on Your Core Customer (Annual Planning - 2017)

Not all customers are created equal. Some are more equal than others. We refer to these as our Core Customers. Core Customers are the..

Annual Planning - Are You Winning on the Basics? (Annual Planning - 2017)

Great companies first win on the basics, then they wow you with something special. And that’s the cherry on top! But if you don’t first..

Skate to Where the Puck is Going During Annual Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

We are getting into Q4. It is a good time to begin thinking about what the plan for the next year is going to be. Consider how you will..

Are You Having Enough Discussions in Your Annual Planning Session? (Annual Planning - 2017)

So, it's annual planning time, and your folks are getting together for the much anticipated planning session. The meeting begins, and we..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

20 Ways to... Achieve Your Annual Plan (Annual Planning - 2017)

What should you do if you cannot seem to come up with enough sales opportunities to hit the revenue target for next year?

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

4 Tips for a Strong Annual Plan (Annual Planning - 2017)

It’s that time of year again when executives are thinking about their annual plan and asking themselves, “where do I start?” A lot of..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning: "Where Would You Invest Your $100?" Exercise (Annual Planning - 2017)

If you are like many of our clients, you are not starving for opportunities. Instead, you have too many. And, as you think about your..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Budget for Leadership Development in Your Annual Planning Process (Annual Planning - 2017)

John Maxwell's Law #1 is the Law of the Leadership Lid (in his book "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"). This law states that a..

Annual Planning: Know What You Want to Do Before You Do Your Budget (Annual Planning - 2017)

What is your approach to developing your execution plan for next year? Some companies will first develop their budgets and financial..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning Webcast Q&A (Annual Planning - 2017)

Thank you to everyone for attending my webcast on Friday. I have received feedback that it was very helpful as everyone starts to get..

Top 5 Mistakes People Make in Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

I recently facilitated an annual planning session for a client. During our debrief after the session, the team shared that it was one of..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Visualize a Great Year During Your Annual Planning Session (Annual Planning - 2017)

I visited Disney World 30 years ago when Epcot was new. I was still in college and was traveling with a couple of friends. The Disney..

Annual Planning: Consider the Greatest Business Decisions of All Time (Annual Planning - 2017)

As you think about 2013 and plan for a great year, learn from the greatest business decisions of all time. After all, your company is a..

Annual Planning For 2012 (Annual Planning - 2017)

Here is the Webcast we did today to help companies create a strong plan for 2012. Click Here for the Annual Planning Tool and the People..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Don't Confuse Strategic Thinking And Execution Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

It is easy to confuse your strategy and your strategic plan. I have seen so many leaders tell me that they have a strategy. Yet, when..

Work On Your 20 Mile March During Annual Planning (Annual Planning - 2017)

Jim Collins talks about the 20 mile march in chapter 4 of his book "Great By Choice". If you have not read this book yet, you should...

3 Parts Of An Execution Ready Quarterly Plan (Video)

Develop an execution ready plan for your quarter, each and every quarter! This will help you to have a successful quarter each and every..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning: Does Your Plan Include Winning Moves?

It is important to have winning strategies that drive your annual plan. Don't just focus on revenues and profit and growth. Also focus..

Top 5 Mistakes People Make in Planning

I recently facilitated an annual planning session for a client. During our debrief after the session, the team shared that it was one of..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Do You Have A One Page Strategic Plan?

Many companies have nicely bound and thick strategic plans. Thick plans. What I call high "thud factor" plans. So heavy that if you drop..

As CEO, How Much Space Should You Take in the Room?

Many CEOs I work with struggle with this same issue, and some don’t even know that they have a challenge. They present an idea to their..

How to Start Your 13-Week Race With Discipline

CEO Mike Praeger just kicked off AvidXchange’s 15th year in business. They celebrated their explosive growth over the last few years and..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Breakthrough Execution - 4 Steps to Executing a Successful Quarter

I recently facilitated a client’s quarterly planning session. They really do a great job, having the discipline to spend two days planning..

How’s Your Quarterly Plan Coming Along? Pay Attention This Week!

Are you ready for weeks 4, 5 and 6? With more than 100,000+ priorities planned and executed in Rhythm, we’ve begun to apply Rhythm research..

What Should CEOs Focus on During Quarterly Planning Sessions?

The quarterly planning session is a very expensive session. You've got your executive team out of the field for one to two days working..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

How Do You Know That Your Plan is Going to Fail Before It Fails?

What are the early warning signs?

The team seems a little confused about what the priorities are. You say “A” and folks seem to think of..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

You Need a Plan B for the Big Stuff!

We are almost done with the first half of the quarter. You have a 13-Week Race. How are you doing? Do you have big projects that are..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Why Quarterly Plans Fail: When You Don’t Listen, You Get Rewarded with Bad Execution, Rework and Waste!

Most people think of “listening” as a leadership skill. Leaders need to listen to their people. Yes, it is a leadership skill. And it is..

Why Red-Yellow-Greening with Method 1 Does Not Work

Every quarter is a 13 Week Race. Most of us have priorities to deliver and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure our progress. If..

Execution Newsflash! 5 Tips to Help You Pay Special Attention During Weeks 4, 5, and 6

Every quarter is made up of 13 weeks. To be successful, run it like a 13-Week Race. So how is your 13-Week Race coming along? We are about..

Annual Planning - Are You Winning on the Basics?

Great companies first win on the basics, then they wow you with something special. And that’s the cherry on top! But if you don’t first..

Do You Have the Right Data and Insight for Your Upcoming Annual Planning?

How do you prepare for your annual planning session? How do you get the best data and insights to maximize the outcome of your planning..

Annual Planning: Know What You Want to Do Before You Do Your Budget

What is your approach to developing your execution plan for next year? Some companies will first develop their budgets and financial..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

How to Develop a Strong Plan for the Quarter Using Rockefeller Habits

Q1 is over. I like to think of every quarter as a 13 week race. The only way to have a great year is to have 4 great quarters, one at a..

When to Adjust Your Plan in the Middle of the Quarter?

"So Patrick... We built a great plan during our quarterly planning session. Now it's week 4, and I can already see that some priorities..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning: An Inspiring Destination Postcard

Simms Fishing is an amazing company with a truly inspiring year ahead of them. Their uncompromising desire to put out the highest quality..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Are You Having Enough Discussions in Your Annual Planning Session?

So, it's annual planning time, and your folks are getting together for the much anticipated planning session. The meeting begins, and we..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Annual Planning: "Where Would You Invest Your $100?" Exercise

If you are like many of our clients, you are not starving for opportunities. Instead, you have too many. And, as you think about your..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Visualize a Great Year During Your Annual Planning Session

I visited Disney World 30 years ago when Epcot was new. I was still in college and was traveling with a couple of friends. The Disney..

Questions & Answers from Annual Planning Webcast

Some of you asked questions on Patrick's most recent webcast "Is Your Annual Plan Helping You Double Your Business? We took the ones we..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Budget for Leadership Development in Your Annual Planning Process

John Maxwell's Law #1 is the Law of the Leadership Lid (in his book "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"). This law states that a..

Work On Your 20 Mile March During Annual Planning

Jim Collins talks about the 20 mile march in chapter 4 of his book "Great By Choice". If you have not read this book yet, you should...

Remembering Steve Jobs on October 5

Steve Jobs died a year ago today. Apple honors Steve on their home page www.apple.com today with a video tribute. I wrote a post earlier..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Skate to Where the Puck is Going During Annual Planning

We are getting into Q4. It is a good time to begin thinking about what the plan for the next year is going to be. Consider how you will..

Annual Planning: Consider the Greatest Business Decisions of All Time

As you think about 2013 and plan for a great year, learn from the greatest business decisions of all time. After all, your company is a..

Get Aligned! Don't let Elephants Derail Your Business Execution!

Q2 has already started. We should all be off and running on our 13 week race. Strong business execution needs a good rhythm. I like to..

Annual Planning Tips

Happy New Year to our friends and customers! Here is to a great 2012.

As you begin your new year, here are a couple of ideas and..

Annual Planning Webcast Q&A

Thank you to everyone for attending my webcast on Friday. I have received feedback that it was very helpful as everyone starts to get..

Annual Planning For 2012

Here is the Webcast we did today to help companies create a strong plan for 2012. Click Here for the Annual Planning Tool and the People..

Topics: Annual & Quarterly Planning

Using A Start Stop Keep Tool To Make Your Mid Year Adjustments

After our webcast on Mid Year adjustments, I received a couple more questions regarding using the SSK tool. Thought I would share them on.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Strategy Execution

How To Test That You Have A Strong Execution Plan For The New Quarter

Q2 just began. Hopefully we have all gotten our Q2 plans done and are ready for a great quarter. I always suggest that we QA our plans..

How Do You Facilitate Discussions For Great Outcomes In Planning Sessions?

Do you ever get frustrated in planning sessions when you are trying to generate ideas, yet get stuck in the details of why certain ideas.. Read More

Topics: Strategies for Growth, Annual & Quarterly Planning, Accountable Leaders & Teams