Planning

Purpose

For Americans a plan is an approach, a way to proceed. A good plan guides people who are collaborating. A good plan keeps them on a path towards a target. Examples

Short Mid Long

Americans plan for the short- to mid-term. Long-term action cannot be planned for properly. It’s not worth the time, effort and investment. Examples

Detail

Americans believe in less detail. The degree of detail of their plans is based on the given situation. Americans plan A to C in great detail, begin executing, then continue planning as they proceed. Exam p les

Flexibility

Americans believe that a plan should be flexible. If the plan, or aspects of it, are not working make the necessary changes. “Why execute on a plan that is not working?” Examples

Contingency

Because Americans believe in flexibility, going off plan, they do a significant amount of contingency planning. Examples