Lessons from Navigating the Unknown: Taking Over Operational Plan Development Midway

In today’s fast-paced work environment, constant change is part of our daily business. You may step into a new role only to have your responsibilities expand before you’ve even settled in. Just as you start to understand the department and company dynamics, you find yourself stepping into unfamiliar territory. For me, there is no challenge I won’t at least try to solve. I’ve always had the mindset that every problem has a solution - you just have to be willing to dig deep enough to find it. In this article, I’ll share my experience of taking over the development of an operational plan (1) midway and managing it as a project - despite having no prior background in the field. I’ll highlight the challenges I faced, the key lessons I learned, and the importance of quick learning and adaptation along the way.

Assessing the Situation 🧐

When stepping into an ongoing process - especially one as complex as operational planning - assessing the situation quickly is key. Shadowing sessions with other teams have proven essential in understanding best practices, avoiding unnecessary reinvention, and staying on track despite tight deadlines. With the added complexities of handovers, timeline pressure, and team availability due to holidays, having a structured approach to learning is significant. Knowledge gaps connected to missing context about the organization, stakeholder expectations such as priorities and approaches as well hidden complexities were the challenges I faced at the beginning.

It was crucial to really tap into the existing knowledge base to make this transition smooth. I made it a point to be proactive - asking a ton of questions and really digging into the details. That saved me a lot of time and helped to deliver results. After analysing the situation, the development of the operational plan can be broken down into three key phases: 1. Building a framework, 2. Executing and adapting along the way, and 3. Reflecting and documenting learnings for the next cycle. I’ll dive into each of these in more detail below.

Building a Framework 🏗️

Once you have a good understanding of the core objectives, the first step is to build a framework to break down the unknown. Start by mapping it out in an end-to-end process or project timeline. Begin high-level, focussing on the deadlines, and then break those down into milestones and tasks connected to them. It’s crucial to align with all involved stakeholders and get the buy-in from contributors but also the sign-off from senior management - make sure the plan is shared with everyone and updated regularly. When considering stakeholders, think beyond just internal teams but also include the ones from the wider organisation. And never forget to check for any dependencies with other ongoing topics that could influence the operational planning such as the department or group strategy.

Having this framework helped keep everything clear, everyone on the same page, and the plan flexible enough to handle changes. It gave me a good system for dealing with all the complexity, and I made sure to keep everyone in the loop.

Executing & Adapting on the Go 🏃‍♀️

Executing a project plan is one thing - adapting it on the go while keeping all stakeholders aligned is another - especially when it’s a completely new topic to you. Navigating through the unknown required me to adapt quickly, manage multiple responsibilities, and ensure seamless execution while learning on the go. Maintaining clear communication, balancing responsibilities and ensuring flexibility in decision making helped me to drive the operational plan development.

One of the biggest challenges in project execution is keeping all stakeholders and contributors informed. Simply sending mails or chat messages isn’t enough - not everyone reads them, and your critical updates may get lost in the flood of daily information. Instead, utilise multiple communication channels, including direct outreach when necessary and a placeholder for regular check-in meetings. Storing all updates centrally is essential, allowing stakeholders to access latest information and deadlines at their convenience. However, effective communication is a balancing act. Overcommunication can overwhelm the audience, while undercommunication can lead to confusion and misunderstandings. Striking the right balance ensures stakeholders remain engaged without information overload. Something that really helped was asking everyone how they preferred to communicate. And I made sure key contributors were all in the sign-off meetings, so they always knew where things stood, and any questions from senior management could be answered right away. It was a win-win: fast decisions and completely transparent communication.

No project runs exactly as planned - timelines often require adjustments due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, a capacity assessment takes three weeks instead of just one. The project plan must be flexible enough to accommodate such changes. The same applies for finalizing themes/goals in an operational plan - planning in a buffer is key, even within a tight schedule. Building in extra time ensures that inevitable shifts don’t derail the progress. For adjustments, focus on quick wins. If you missed gathering input from an internal stakeholder, consider a quick workshop to address the gap rather than prolonging the project. That's what I did as we didn’t consider the needs from some of our internal stakeholders from other areas of the business. It was highly appreciated and was a good source to underline our already existing priorities within the operational planning.

Assumptions are a natural part of any project, but unvalidated assumptions lead to significant setbacks. Without proper verification, decisions may be made based on incorrect information, leading to wasted efforts and expensive rework (e.g. senior executive team joining an additional sign-off meeting and management team reworking a topic). Every assumption in the process should be systematically validated to prevent such situations. Additionally, you get flooded with information when you're working on an operational plan. But I kept reminding myself, my job wasn't to become an expert in everything. I just needed a good overview. My main focus was making sure everyone provided their input on time. That's where I could really help, with process management, coordinating everything, and getting it all done - not trying to be the subject matter expert.

Reflecting and Documenting for the Future 📝

Through my experiences, I have learned that successful collaboration excels through continuous feedback and open communication. Ensuring that all contributors and stakeholders feel heard not only fosters engagement but also creates a sense of ownership in the process. By actively seeking input and demonstrating responsiveness, I have found that trust and alignment improve significantly. One key lesson I want to share is the importance of efficiency in long-term projects. The operational plan development had already been ongoing for 1.5 months before I became involved, and even after the handover, it took an additional 3.5 months to complete the exercise because of reopening certain topics after they have been signed-off. This experience reinforced the necessity of implementing structured guardrails to keep operational plan creation on track moving forward. To improve efficiency and ensure smoother execution, I recommend the following strategies based on my learnings:

• Clear ownership and communication: Clearly define responsibilities and use effective templates to maintain alignment across teams.
• Early kickoff with comprehensive planning: Start the process earlier with a structured roadmap that provides a clear outlook for the entire project timeline and responsibilities for contributors.
• Minimized iterations and continuous planning: Reduce unnecessary revisions by fostering an ongoing planning and execution model, rather than relying on multiple iterative cycles.

To support continuity and efficiency, I have found these key steps to be invaluable:

• Creating clear documentation: Keeping well-organized records provides clarity and ensures that teams have a reliable reference.
• Establishing checklists and standard operating procedures (SOPs): Standardized processes reduce ambiguity and allow for smoother execution.
• Encouraging a culture of knowledge sharing: I have learned that fostering an environment where teams proactively share insights and best practices helps everyone grow and develop.

Conclusion 🏁

While this experience focused on operational planning, the lessons learned extend far beyond. Project execution is a dynamic process that requires constant adaptation. Whether you're leading a new product launch, implementing a system upgrade, or managing any complex initiative, the principles of clear communication, flexible planning, and stakeholder engagement are essential for success. By embracing these principles, you can confidently tackle any project, regardless of the starting point.

Notes

1) An operational plan is a detailed, strategic document that outlines the specific actions, resources, and timelines required to achieve organizational objectives. It serves as a roadmap for the upcoming year, ensuring that tasks align with broader business goals.