By Regi Adams
Expert Author

In the quest towards achieving success and accomplishment in our lives, a systematic plan of action is needed. Without a plan even the greatest of efforts will be ineffective, eventually degenerating into frustration and wasted time. A guided plan allows one to utilize his/her talents and competencies to the fullest, by focusing them in a coordinated and strategic manner upon a specific outcome.

The power of concentrated effort should never be underestimated. A strategy that one should immulate from the world of sports, is that in competition one should always seek to "play his/her game". One should never be forced into the position of trying to be successful by operating under conditions strategically benificial to the opposing team. In other words, in seeking to achieve success in today's competitive environment, a professional should design an action plan around his/her personal strengths and competencies. Play to your strengths and not to your weakness.

There is always more than one way to the mountain top; a striving professional should ensure that the path he/she chooses, is the one which utilizes his/her talents and skill sets to the fullest.

The acronym A. I. D. E can be used as a tool for the striving professional, in the drafting of a personal action plan. A. I. D. E stands for: Analyze, Identify, Design and Evaluate. A professional should first analyze his/her situation. What are one's professional aspirations and goals? What stage of his/her career is the professional currently in? What are the future prospects of current and prospective career paths? It is important to fully know the landscape before any journey can be undertaken. Before embarking upon the adventure of a lifetime one should take time to learn the terrain.

The next step in action planning is to identify those skill sets and core competencies one wishes to utilize. For example if a person possesses excellent analytical and mathematic skills one should seek opportunities which require these proficiencies, such as engineering or systems analyst. The identification stage involves much soul searching and should be undertaken in a deliberate and patient manner.



The design stage of the planning processes puts the "gears into the dream". The design phase is the actual creation of one's plan of action. During this period the professional determines the specific:  Activities  Time Frames  Outcomes  Methods , that will be utilized in the action plan.

The final stage of the A. I. D. E process is the evaluation phase. During the evaluation phase the striving professional reviews and monitors the progress that has been made. This stage of the action plan is very important, for it allows for the rethinking of strategies and the ability to capitalize upon immediate opportunity.

The courage to boldly go, to undiscovered realms of your potential should be rewarded with that which your heart desires. Ensure success by effectively planning for it. Your plan will work, if you work your plan.

About the Author:
Regi Adams is a business coach, educator and writer for Bascom & Adams Business Solutions. Regi's philosopy on exceptional business performance is that "all success starts with people". Thus Regi's approach to creating high performance organizations is by creating high performance teams, made up of high performance people. For more information please visit the company website at www.bascomadams.com