Hi there, friend. Jerry the Sloth here—taking a nice, long stretch and thinking about one of my favorite things: a well-thought-out plan.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to lounge. But when it comes to getting things done with a team? I’m all for a good plan that brings everyone together.
Because here’s what I’ve learned: shared planning makes everything better.
Whether you're welcoming a new client, supporting a long-time partner, or prepping for renewal season, coming together as a team to map out the journey changes the whole experience for everyone.
What Happens When We Plan Together?
Glad you asked! When teams slow down to plan collaboratively, some magical things happen:
- No one is left guessing. Everyone knows what’s happening next and who’s doing what. That means fewer frantic messages and more confident moves.
- The client feels the love. When the onboarding team, client success crew, and support squad are on the same page, the client gets a seamless experience—no clunky handoffs or missed messages.
- Time and effort are saved. Instead of redoing work or scrambling for updates, teams can reuse smart processes, catch issues early, and celebrate wins together.
- Growth becomes intentional. From kickoff through renewal, a shared plan makes it easier to identify opportunities, tackle challenges early, and build sustainable success.
It's like a well-rehearsed tree climb—everyone takes their turn, holds the branch steady, and gets to enjoy the view at the top. (Metaphorically, of course. I prefer hammocks.)
My Favorite Tips for Easy Shared Planning
If you’re ready to bring your teams together, here are a few of my go-to tips:
- Start with a shared map: Before anyone sets off, make sure you all agree on the path. Outline goals, major milestones, and who’s handling what. A shared doc or dashboard can work wonders—and reduce the “Wait, what’s happening?” moments.
- Build in buffer time: Not everything needs to move at lightning speed, but giving your team breathing room between phases prevents panic. Fewer dropped balls, more thoughtful check-ins.
- Loop in everyone early: That includes support, client success, and implementation. The more folks involved up front, the fewer surprises later. Trust me, surprises are only good if they involve snacks.
- Revisit and revise: Shared planning isn’t a one-and-done. Make space to review what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changed. Think of it like stretching your limbs, it keeps everything flexible.
- Use a platform that connects the dots: Trying to share a plan across ten different tools? That’s a no from me. Use something that keeps everyone aligned in one place (psst… Setuply makes this easy, even for us slowpokes).
Final Thoughts from a Slow-Moving Strategist
Shared planning isn’t about rushing to get ahead—it’s about making the journey smoother for everyone involved. When we plan together, we win together.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hammock with my name on it. But you? You’ve got a platform ready to piece all your planning together.
Goodbye silos, hello simplicity!