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planner seem naive. Strive to make your plans realistic. Get input from others experienced with
similar projects. Take into account challenges that are likely to crop up. When dealing with unknowns,
give yourself time to become familiar with the territory. There are human and unforeseen aspects
related to every plan. Anticipate challenges without letting them overwhelm you. Adapt the plan in
light of new insights.

11. Prefer plans to stay the same? Be ready to adapt and act. Are you naturally wired to want to
finalize plans and move on? Think revisiting plans is a waste of time? Given how frequently plans are
launched in dynamic and unpredictable environments, changes should be expected. Even welcomed.
Change can mean that people are paying close attention to evolving information. It can signal that
they’re discovering new opportunities for innovation. If you or your organization values innovation and
entrepreneurial zeal, you may want to reassess how you approach planning. An overemphasis on
plans can slow things down. Research conducted by Saras Sarasvathy at the Darden School of
Business indicates that many entrepreneurs begin with action rather than planning. They take “smart
steps,” evaluate what is learned, then build on it to pursue their goals. Traditional organizations often
fear that a lack of planning will increase risk. The entrepreneurs studied believe that risk is actually
reduced, given the real-world data they obtain during a series of quick, inexpensive steps.

12. Changes getting out of hand? Beware of scope creep. An important aspect of planning is
managing scope. Scope creep occurs when stakeholders’ expectations have expanded, but the
changes have not been vetted and time lines and resources have not been adjusted to
accommodate. It could stem from customer requests, unforeseen complications, cost overruns,
resource constraints, scheduling adjustments. Whatever the case, scope creep results in additional
work. If not identified and managed properly, the plan could get behind schedule, run over budget, or
not meet agreed-upon objectives. Guard against pressure to deliver more than was originally planned
without going through a proper revision process. Establish standard change procedures and make
sure people are aware of them. Typically, this includes a change request form that states the
reasons, costs, and sign-offs needed by project leads and sponsors. Change is inevitable—be ready
to manage it.

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Knight, J., Thomas, R., & Angus, B. (2013, June 4). Battle scope creep in your projects. Harvard
Business Review Blog Network.
Mochari, I. (2014, January 15). 3 Risks of not tracking your progress. Inc.
Pitagorsky, G. (2011, January 26). Project managers are change managers. Project Times.

Stolovitsky, N. (2010, August 4). Planning for the unplanned: Including risk in your project
management strategy. Genius Project.

Job assignments
• Plan an off-site meeting, conference, convention, or trade show where you’ll need to closely monitor
the time line leading up to the event.

• Lead a strategic alignment initiative to ensure your team/department/unit goals and plans are
integrated with those from other areas, and that all are aligned with broader organizational priorities.
© Korn Ferry 2014-2015. All rights reserved. WWW.KORNFERRY.COM

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