Before they know it, the year has passed and the process of actually effecting change in the business has been left by the wayside.

Implementing a structured annual planning process is the best way to set the balance straight. We run one-day workshops with our clients that help them to identify core objectives for the year and work through what needs to be done in order to achieve them. We can then develop detailed roadmaps for the year ahead, which ensure the CR team are clear about what needs to be done, when and by whom.

Clients find that taking time to develop a thorough plan delivers real dividends. One of the ways in which the CR department can best serve the organisation is by acting as an internal agent of change, taking relevant information to different parts of the business, helping them understand the rationale for action and supporting them along the way. But this can be a lengthy process: arguments need to be built up over time, coalitions of the willing need to be forged, series of internal stakeholders often needs to be won round. Having a proper annual plan in place is one of the best ways to help make it happen.