| Remember reading "Alice in Wonderland?" | | | | If you, unlike Alice, do care where you and your |
| She asks the Cheshire Cat, "which way I ought to go | | | | business are going, "then it does matter which way |
| from here?" | | | | you go." Businesspeople who know and understand |
| "That depends a good deal on where you want to get | | | | their goals and ambitions write business plans, |
| to," said the Cat. | | | | marketing plans, and action plans. They develop |
| "I don't much care where," said Alice. | | | | projects that are appropriate to their plans. They don't |
| "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the | | | | find themselves turning and spinning like Alice at the |
| Cat. | | | | Mad Hatter's Tea Party. |
| Alice was floundering because she, like many in | | | | I'd love to tell you that, when you know where you |
| business management, have not defined what they | | | | want to go, the road is smooth and traffic flows. |
| want or where they need to go. They don't have firm | | | | Unfortunately, in the real world, even with a good |
| short-term and long-term goals. They don't delegate, | | | | roadmap (or business plan) the road is often bumpy |
| lead, or follow-up. Often, like Alice, who jumped down | | | | and potholes abound, but without disciplined planning |
| the Rabbit's Hole, they jump at opportunities without | | | | that road will seem as crazy as "Wonderland." So |
| considering whether those opportunities are | | | | take the time and write your roadmap to success |
| appropriate, affordable or too risky and then have to | | | | instead of jumping down that Rabbit's Hole and ending |
| deal with the results later. | | | | up at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. |