POAM - Plan of Action and Milestones

POAM - Plan of Action and Milestones

Some goals 
are for
climbing.

Goals are great - they give you a target on the horizon to orient your time, energy, investments, andprogress towards.  When you set a specific goal in whatever facet of your life, you are putting it out there that you will achieve the particular target you're shooting at.  The setting of the goal is a great first step.  From there, we should utilize some objectives that help add some granularity to clarify what our goal (or end state) specifically looks like.  

Pants optional
with snow 
chores.

In a wildland fire example, the goal may be "put the fire out."  The objectives may give additional clarity like, "keep the fire south of Road 1 and north of the ABC River."  In a family example, the goal may be "to get more engaged with church."  The corresponding objective might be "get to church as a family at least two times per month."  Following the objective setting phase, you need to operationally set strategies and tactics that move from the "what" to the "how."  In the wildland fire example, that may be "doing dozer line reinforced with burnout operations along Road 1."  In the family example, that could take the form of "doing chores Saturday and setting an alarm to stop whatever you're doing and get in the car 25 minutes before church starts."  

This plan helps you be
in the right place...like 
Northern Lights.

Ultimately, to keep the "staying power" of your action and reach the stated finish line, it's important to further detail your plan with a POAM or a Plan of Action and Milestones.  The goal/objective/strategy/tactics are part of the plan of action along with tools like budgets, calendars, check-ins, and such.  The milestones can help ensure that we're on the right path toward the end goal.  If you were on a road trip, you'd be able to cross reference your map (the plan of action) against the mile markers (the milestones) to ensure that you haven't gotten off the proper road, nor that you're going the wrong way.  

As you start out with your planning, you can build out a written plan without a ton of details or stress involved.  Take a look at the example below to get a sense of what might work for you to get started.  Also, a quick Google search may get you a template or two that you can select from as you're looking to make your family life more intentional with some planning processes and systems.  

You can adopt a strategy that makes the most sense for you and your family (or team).  This could include regularly scheduled interactions/check-ins with "homework" on action items between touchpoints.  It could also include working meetings where the "homework" is done as a group.  You could adopt the new-ish "Program Increment Planning" where you do short sprint sessions on a particular topic.  Then, you might go a while in between without a lot of deliberate interaction on the topic.  

Think this...it
came from a 
set of systems.

For example, the POAM with short sprints may be as a family to tackle healthy eating, decreased screentime, more intentional family time, increased physical activity, or whatever else.  If you try to tackle all of those things at once, like chasing twenty rabbits...you'll catch none of them.  If, instead, you build a plan of action - say meal planning (healthy eating), shopping for groceries from a list (financial fitness), eating together (intentional family time), and going for a walk after dinner while talking (physical fitness), you'll get there.  By making this plan of action into the above milestones...then tracking them and holding yourselves accountable, you'll build a habit that sticks.  From that strong foundation, you can then add on game nights, weekend hiking, or other "second chapter" style activities.  

Hopefully, this week, as we go into a new year, you and your family get the creative juices flowing with a few ideas that kick any "stuck" frustrations into some traction.  Start at the 50,000-foot "big" level and then break it down.  From there, create the check-in mile markers that keep you on the course.  Best of luck in the coming year and all the many adventures that you choose ahead!

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a few things that you've stalled out on in life...think about what a POAM could look like to get more clarity, granularity, and build systems...that get you across the finish line.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) to make this work...planning...and winning...are team sports!

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- NIST POAM

- DHS POAM - Detailed List