The IKEA guide to getting stuff done

I can't recall who mentioned it first... Perhaps the idea took root when our daughter said she needed a new desk lamp.. and then I noiced all those photos that we'd meant to get framed and of course you can't have enough candles. The idea took root. "Why don't we go to IKEA?"

It's been over 2 years since our last trip. Yes trip rather than visit. Frankly from East Sussex, IKEA is a day out on a precious weekend. It needs planning ahead, it needs the diary to be cleared, a Saturday was suggested. The night before I weakly suggsted that I was sure my bike chain needed a clean and re-lube.. Too late we'd resolved to go, plans were in motion...

Last time two years ago we aimlessly followed the IKEA path as it meanders around from themed room to room, took twice as long and we came home with twice as much stuff. Not this time, I'd have a plan! That's kind of my job *planning** so I should be good at this right? How hard can it be to beat the system? With some online research I lapped up tips from various IKEA ninja shoppers. There are short cuts to those on the know. Is there an App I wondered?

With a determination to stick to the list, to get in and out like a surgical strike, to take some of those shortcuts... we set out on a dull grey Saturday morning (without the kids of course.. memories of dragging two very bored youngsters around all those years ago are still too raw!).

With purpose I strode in. What is it that some famous general said? No wait it was Mike Tyson, "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth". And yes... within a few minutes of landing, amid throngs of shuffling shoppers, the full IKEA experience hits full force... and..."Hey..should we just follow the path?" And you let yourself go, give in to the IKEA experience, follow that path, delight at the rooms full of stuff that you don't really need but suddenly can't imagine how you've managed without. And the thought of those Swedish Meatballs (or vegetarian options) at the end grows! Sustaining you.

So we kinda had fun. I'm smiling as I write this surrounded by my new IKEA candles. We chatted and giggled a bit and we walked a lot. We had time alone together amongst the shuffling throngs. Sure once again it took longer than we wanted and inevitably we added a few extras (well quite a lot of extras, but having a small car helps here I find.. always have a backstop!).

What on reflection does this have to do with planning? For me it's starts with the why (#SimonSinek a must view if you've not a follower) why would we spend our precious Saturday traipsing round an IKEA store? "To create a better everyday life... to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them".. It's a clear Vision that I can identify with and of course that Roadmap painted with helpful arrows takes you on your IKEA journey through the store without you having to think too hard so you can focus on all that eye-candy...

Well isn't that also the job of change managers, of programme and project managers? To set out a stall, to reinforce the vision, to get buy-in, define the roadmap and the path you need the organisation to navigate through so that the project team can focus on the good stuff, the hard stuff of getting things done, solving problems, collaborating and yes having fun, all the while being gently (or not so gently!) guided along a journey to achieve that vision. Of course you need short cuts, flexibility and agility to change scope and direction and certianly my IKEA basket increased in size and scope on the way... How many times have we been on projects where the vision, path roadmap and perhaps most importantly the WHY was unclear or wooly? Imagine being trapped in that IKEA store for days on end scuttling around with no clear purpose! I think we've all been on change programmes where it may seem like that at times!

Having said all this, I'd really love to hear from any of those IKEA ninja shoppers for some tips for next time. Or maybe once every 2-years is just not enough practice to get good at this?

Thanks for reading!

#Programmemanagement #Changemanagement #Projectmanagement #Vision #IKEA