Welcome to another edition of leadersayswhat’s the Weekender, a faction of thought to start your weekend on the right track. Why just one faction? Because it’s the weekend!
When I take on a new project, my initial reaction is to jump into it…and by “jump” I mean headfirst without examining the depth or temperature of the water. I hear an idea that excites me and it takes all of my willpower to slow down, assess the situation, and develop a plan. It turns out that author Veronica Roth has experienced the same thing.
A few years ago, some friends suggested I read Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy. The premise had me by the end of the first chapter—a post-apocalyptic Chicago where citizens are segregated into one of five factions as defined by personality traits. With the complex plot and growing cast of characters, it can get difficult to keep track of everything going on. Apparently, this is true for both the reader and the author. In a recent interview, Roth said:
I learned a lot from writing the Divergent books, like ‘plan ahead,’ and ‘keep track.’ I loved writing those books, but by the time I got to Allegiant [the third book in the series], I was like, ‘I have set myself up with some very difficult rules because I didn’t think this through.’ I was definitely a little bit more flying by the seat of my pants with the Divergent books. This time [with my new series Carve the Mark], I was like, ‘No, you’re going to think through these planets, how they work, what they look like, what they’re called, how these languages work, all of these things. Figure it out.’
We could discuss the need for a solid implementation plan via project management practices, but knowledge of the project specifics is only a piece of the preparation process. Time must be set aside to organize your thoughts.
Some people organize their thoughts through spreadsheets; others (like myself) plot it out in charts and diagrams. Some start at the beginning; others work backwards. Some involve people from the onset; others wait until they have a skeleton of a plan. The point is to be methodical and purposeful. Think it through, consider consequences, and have the details in order before it’s time to launch.
