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Does the company you work for or own hold an annual planning session or retreat? Do you write down a list of goals, action items and maybe even some performance measures for the coming year? If so, what do you do with them once you finish the process? If you are like too many, the strategic plan ends up on a shelf or in a drawer for the rest of the year.

I’d like to challenge you to take a different approach. As I noted in January, I’m a list person. I love lists and I love goals. It’s simple and methodical – and you can always see your success.

But too often it’s just a plan that you spend a day or more creating and then forget about until someone asks about it as next year’s planning session rolls around.

Last month the Associated Builders and Contractors held its planning two-day conference. One of our team-building projects was to break into small groups and do an art project that painted a picture illustrating the future of the association. At first there was grumbling and a lot of joking around. But it was fascinating to see how much each team got into its work.

It got me thinking about how powerful it is to stop and picture our future.

You see, each portrait showed all the many things ABC does and what those things mean to our members. Most fascinating was the way the pictures also illustrated what members see that the organization can, and should, be.

While we built plenty of lists and set plenty of timelines that will lead to greater success and results for our members, the most powerful exercise of the whole weekend was asking our members to think creatively.

What are you doing in your organization to do the same? Are you tapping your people and asking them to dream and paint their picture?

I encourage you to take a shot. Ask your team to illustrate how they see the company today and what they see for the future. Encourage them to be creative. You might be surprised what they come up with and how it can help plot a more prosperous and impactful future.

Laurie Kendall is president of the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Pacific Northwest chapter. Contact her at 503-598-0620 or at [email protected].