Continuing some of the thoughts begun here in part 1.

The cliffhanger question we left off with last time was:

how can organizations change the way they do their marketing planning so that they are more able to adjust to new realities, seize new opportunities, and move away from the 1-2 “big bets” in favor of a “dandelion” (dollar-cost averaging approach) that increases the likely of getting the “viral” hit?

Remember, I don’t have the answers and am just using the blog (and its community of readers) to flush out some of these ideas, so keep the feedback coming.

As luck would have it, I just started a GREAT book by the CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown, called Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation

In it, Brown describes the concept of “design thinking” and helps those of us who are left-brained learn to think like designers so that we can tap into the creativity of our right-brain. I’m about 70 pages into it and a more full review will be coming shortly (and I was glad to see that it validated our recent field trip to the Nat’l Gallery of Art.)

Still, Brown is providing a solidly thought-out framework for some of the components that I see as necessary.

In no particular order, these are:

• Thinking in terms of Commander’s Intent, not specific tactics
• Shortening the feedback loop cycle, internal/external listening, and showing humility
• Creating a culture of high fault tolerance
• Rapid Marketing Development
• Extending marketing beyond the realm of marketers
• Feel the same, but don’t look the same
• Creative thinking
• Big bets, little bets, and FREE

What I’d like to do is take each of these ideas and flush them out over the next few days/weeks. My hunch is that some will contract into others as we do this exercise.

So, let’s start off with Commander’s Intent

If I’m not mistaken, I was first introduced to the concept while reading the excellent book, Made to Stick.

A solid definition comes from Answers.com:

A concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired end state that serves as the initial impetus for the planning process. It may also include the commander's assessment of the adversary commander's intent and an assessment of where and how much risk is acceptable during the operation.

In other words, your job as a lead marketer is to instruct your team (or get clear instruction from your boss) about the ultimate goal. (If you prefer a video learning, try this)

Traditionally, I think, we tended to think in a very systematic, process-oriented, linear fashion.

Our goal is Z, so first we will get to A, then to B and so on.

The problem is, as we get into the thick of execution, things don’t always work out as planned. As von Clausewitz said, “no plan survives its first encounter with the enemy.”

However, that’s where our linear thinking sometimes gets in the way.

We are stuck on point J and know we have to get to K, but our original plan to get to K doesn’t work. So, we devise new plans, spending new time, energy, and resources to get to point K.

But, we don’t always ask ourselves, “hey, wait a second. Our goal isn’t to get to K. Our goal is to get to Z. Maybe now, with new information about the market, we don’t even need to get to K! Maybe we can go straight to Z. Or at least to W, X, or Y!!”

That’s keeping Commander’s Intent in mind at all times and I suspect it sits at the core of the new marketing planning process (which of course I will have to name)

So, your question of the day is:

Do you know what your Commander’s (aka Boss’s) Intent is?  And do the people that work for you know what your Intent is?

And…next time, I’ll take on one of the other core components…stay tuned to find out which.

Updated: part 3.