What do you do if your team lacks leadership skills in Operational Planning?

1 Assess your team's strengths and weaknesses

The first step is to identify the gaps and areas of improvement in your team's operational planning skills. You can use various methods to assess your team, such as feedback surveys, performance reviews, self-assessments, or observation. You should also consider the specific context and requirements of your team's projects, tasks, and roles. For example, some team members may need more guidance on setting SMART goals, while others may need more support on managing risks or resources. Once you have a clear picture of your team's strengths and weaknesses, you can prioritize the most urgent and impactful areas to address.

2 Provide training and coaching

The next step is to provide your team with the appropriate training and coaching to enhance their operational planning skills. You can choose from different formats and sources of learning, such as online courses, workshops, webinars, books, podcasts, or mentors. You should also tailor the training and coaching to your team's specific needs and preferences, as well as the available time and budget. For example, you can assign individual or group assignments, quizzes, case studies, or simulations to reinforce the learning outcomes. You should also follow up with your team regularly to monitor their progress, provide feedback, and address any challenges or questions.

3 Delegate and empower

The third step is to delegate and empower your team to apply their operational planning skills in practice. You should assign clear roles and responsibilities to each team member, based on their strengths, interests, and development goals. You should also give them the authority and autonomy to make decisions, solve problems, and take actions within their scope of work. However, you should not micromanage or over-control your team, as this can undermine their motivation and confidence. Instead, you should trust your team to deliver the expected results, and offer your guidance and support when needed.

5 Review and improve

The final step is to review and improve your team's operational planning skills on an ongoing basis. You should measure and evaluate your team's performance, based on the predefined goals, indicators, and standards. You should also solicit and provide feedback, both formally and informally, to identify what worked well and what can be improved. You should also involve your team in the review and improvement process, and encourage them to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as their learning and development needs. You should also update and adjust your team's operational plan, as well as the training and coaching plan, according to the changing circumstances and expectations.