What’s Your Plan?

The Question That Turns Intentions Into Results

I was working with a restaurant manager not long ago, and we were discussing both the successes and the challenges facing his operation.

One issue he raised stood out immediately: he needed to hire more people. He had recently lost several team members and was clearly operating below the staffing level required for his restaurant’s volume.

So, I asked him a simple question:

“What’s your plan?”

Four words—simple, direct, and powerful.

He responded by saying he “just needed to get some people hired.” That’s a solution statement, not a plan. It describes what needs to happen, but not how it will happen.

So, I asked him again:

What is your plan?

From Idea to Action

Identifying a problem and even naming a solution is only the beginning. The real work lies in the steps between the two—the execution.

I asked him to grab a pen and take notes as we worked through a few key questions.

What?
What exactly needs to be done?
Not just “hire people,” but how many people and for which positions?

Write it down.

How?
How will you accomplish this?
He mentioned posting jobs online.
Is that the only approach? What about employee referrals? Other sourcing methods? Good. Write it down.

When?
When will each step happen?
Not “this week”—that’s too vague. What day? What time?
When will the job be posted? When will interviews take place?

Good. Write it down.

Given the demands of running a busy restaurant, we also mapped out specific days and times he could realistically conduct interviews.

Write it down.

Clarity Creates Momentum

Of course, hiring doesn’t stop at interviews. There is also selection, onboarding, and training. We briefly outlined those steps as well—again focusing on how and when they would happen.

In five to ten minutes, he had built a clear, actionable plan to address a major operational issue.

Written down.
Structured.
With dates and times for accountability.

Why This Works

Here’s the key insight: none of this information was new to him.

He already knew how to post jobs, interview candidates, and train employees. He had done it before.

The difference wasn’t knowledge—it was clarity and commitment.

By getting specific and writing it down, he transformed scattered thoughts into a concrete plan. It didn’t require a complex system or a polished spreadsheet. It simply required intention.

Too often, we keep ideas in our heads, assuming that’s enough. But without structure, those ideas remain just that—ideas.

When you put them on paper and assign timelines, they become real. They become actionable. They become accountable.

A Simple Practice That Drives Results

The next time you’re facing a task, a challenge, or a project, pause and ask yourself:

“What’s the plan?”

Then take five minutes—just five—and map it out using four simple questions:

What needs to be done?
How will it get done?
When will it happen?
Who is responsible?

It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to exist.

Because a clear, written plan is often the difference between intention and execution—and ultimately, between stagnation and progress.