Planning can be a mixed blessing: a good plan can make you much more efficient, while a bad plan can waste a lot of time. When you have a goal in mind, how do you strike the right balance between strategy and action?

Studies suggest that when we plan well, we perform well, but they also show that we often resist thinking ahead unless someone encourages us to do so. It seems we have a tendency to solve problems opportunistically—as and when they arise—rather than anticipate them beforehand. If we can train ourselves to think ahead, however, we’re at a real advantage.

What’s stopping us?

Cognitive scientists Wayne Gray and Wai-Tat Fu argue that, when anticipating difficulties, we deal with two kinds of obstacle:

• Hard constraints: non-negotiable facts that mean something either is or isn’t possible.
• Soft constraints: paths of least resistance. We prefer to reach goals with as little cognitive strain as possible. If we can achieve a result one of two ways, and one places more demands on our memory or energy, these “soft constraints” turn us toward the other method.

Sometimes we need to adapt our plans as we work, but it’s a good idea to have a strategy laid out. If you know how your mind works, you can anticipate soft constraints and limit their impact. Gray and Fu give the example of assembling a child’s toy. Do you like to read all the instructions before you begin, or does that put too much strain on your memory? Do you prefer to read one instruction, follow it, then move on to the next, or is that too much task-switching? Some of us need more time for the early planning stages, while others need wiggle room later in the process. Assess your cognitive approach to simple tasks first, then plan accordingly.

Planning as a group

A good plan needs to accommodate everyone on the team. A useful format to try here is the 1975 “input–process–output” model (see “Group effectiveness,”). Some tasks only require that everyone perform to a basic level, but the more difficult the challenge, the more variables you’ll have to consider. Here are some important tips:

• The more complex the project, the more you’ll need to plan; there will be many tasks and subtasks.
• If your colleagues have limited experience, you should plan in detail, but also be prepared to make changes once the work begins, because they’ll be learning as they go. This is known as “in-process planning.”
• As well as making a group plan, ask individuals to make their own: research shows that this increases productivity. Other research confirms that people often don’t do this unless specifically instructed, so make it clear that everyone on the team should have their own plan.
• Don’t oblige people to over-plan if they’re doing something they know well: it’s not necessary and wastes time.

Groups work at their best when every member has his or her own plan and communicates it clearly to the rest of the team. However, since we don’t always plan unless we’re told to, be prepared to be the standard-bearer of a good strategy.

GROUP EFFECTIVENESS

If you’re working with others, you’ll need to get everyone working together for the best outcome. This “input–process–output” model, devised by psychologists J. Richard Hackman and C. G. Morris, helps predict a group’s effectiveness. When drawing up a strategy, try filling out your own version.

Know your goals

Business leaders suggest that every strong plan includes four stages: