Strategic planning - What is a plan on a page?

By Kim Price, GippsDairy

The Plan on a Page is unique blueprint to your own business and is a fantastic way to communicate your key focus areas to all the key decision
makers. This document clearly states goals and actions and can be reviewed regularly.

The Farm Fitness Checklist (available online from www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ofop) will start to outline areas in your business that need an increased focus, as well as recognising the areas that you are doing well.

The areas looked at are: us, our farm, people, our business, environment, feed, animals and managing risk. Each section is meant to prompt thinking about your farm business and self-assess which best describes the situation: have we ‘nailed it, can do better or need to do something about it, or not relevant to us’. This is a quick and easy quick and easy way to assess the NOW position.

Once you have assessed the NOW, we need to look at long-term personal and business goals and get them down on paper. Stopping to think where do we want to be in 5-10 years’ time?

Next, we need to identify priorities in key areas and translate them into goals and actions, noting who will be responsible and when you aim to achieve them. It’s not about having a long list but making achievable goals in a timely manner. Narrowing your focus down to a minimum of four key focus areas on your Plan on a Page will be helpful in having a clear direction in achieving these goals.

All this work is contributing to the Plan on a Page, the final step in the Our Farm Our Plan program.

Reviewing the Plan on a Page is an integral part of strategic planning, checking in and reviewing progress and gives the opportunity to reset your plans. Most importantly remember to CELEBRATE the SUCCESS when goals are achieved, driving motivation to achieve the next set of goals.

There are three easy ways to get started with our Farm, Our Plan:

1. Register your interest for Our Farm, Our Plan program www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ofop
2. Reach out to your regional team 03 5624 3900
3. Self start by downloading the resource available from www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ofop