50+ Sample Management Plan Templates

What is a Management Plan?

According to an article from Chron, planning is important because it is one of the essential components of business success. Through planning, an organization will be able to set goals, manage time efficiently, prepare for uncertainty, etc. One of the common planning in business is management planning, whether for a business project o research. There are many important things a business owner should consider during management planning, and one of them is to have a detailed management plan. A management plan is an important business document that outlines important information that describes how a business or organization or a certain department runs. With an effective management plan, you will be able to organize your company’s management structure. A management plan highlights the short-term and longterm goals and objectives of the company and the strategies and plans on how to achieve them. This business document also puts everyone in the business on the same page to perform well. This business plan can also be used for handling business projects, risks, etc. A management plan can be a long-form document and takes time and effort, but the result will be worth it.

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According to a report from Statista, 83 percent of marketers responded that their business has a risk management plan during the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

Statista also mentioned in their report that  55 percent of buyers and users of freight transportation and logistics services stated that they have a risk management plan as their operations’ response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In another report from Statista, 87 percent of senior executives stated that their business fully understands the purpose and importance of project management.

Why is the Management Plan Essential in Business?

A management plan is an important business document that exists in every business operation and used to address certain subjects, according to an article from Chron. A management plan can be short or long, but it all has the same purpose, to help a business have a clear vision on how to achieve goals and objectives. Once the management planning process is done properly, business or organization will be able to enjoy some of these benefits.

Improves Business Performance. A management plan contains business goals and objectives, including the necessary strategies to achieve them during a given time. With a proper management plan, everyone in the business will have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in order to fulfill and accomplish each goal.Improves Communication. Another benefit of a management plan is that staff members will be able to communicate with each other in a more accurate way. This will serve as their guide on how to approach appropriate members of the organization, what information to deliver, and the means of information distribution, including the public.Reduces Business Cost. A management plan also helps businesses and organizations reduce business costs. With this, businesses will have a definite guide on the necessary things to do, how to do it, and what methods or equipment to use. Hence, spending on other items or terms is unnecessary.Secures Business Continuity. One of the most important benefits that a management plan gives to an organization is that it secures business continuity. Basically, a business creates a management plan to minimize the impact of happenings, such as disasters, employee sabotage, etc., that may hinder the success of the business.

How to Make an Effective Management Plan

In an article from the Community Tool Box, making or developing an effective management plan depends on its purpose and on various factors. It depends on what the management plan is for and what the organization wants to accomplish. Basically, a management plan has no standard format as long as it has all the essential information to help your business or organization achieve its goals. So, using a ready-made management plan template is not a problem. With that, you can browse our professionally made sample management plan templates that you can find above. Nevertheless, here are some easy-to-follow tips on how to make an effective management plan for your business. Here’s how.

Step 1: Determine the Purpose of the Plan

Start making an effective management plan by determining its purpose. Why do you need a management plan? What is it for? Doing this is necessary because it will allow you to gather all the essential information that should be present in the management plan. And with accurate information, a management plan will be effective in accomplishing company goals and objectives. One of the common uses of a management plan is during project development. A management plan will serve as a roadmap or strategy on how to achieve business project goals. Before you draft a management plan, you have to understand the need to have one first.

Step 2: Start Outlining the Plan

Once you have already understood the purpose of your business management plan, the next thing you need to do is to create an outline. In a separate blank sheet, list down the necessary parts that should be in your management plan. Basically, this includes an executive summary, a brief description of your company, strategies, etc. It should also include a description of your management structure, management members, roles and responsibilities, schedules, etc. The parts of the management plan will vary on its purpose and use. Having an outline is necessary so that it will be clear to you what goes on the management plan and what should not.

Step 3: Establish SMART Goals

Now that you have an outline of your management plan, it is time to establish goals and objectives. Basically, these are the essential things that you want to accomplish over the end of time using a management plan. But, you can’t just establish goals and objectives without thinking it properly. For example, it is not enough to say that you want your big project to be like this and that and be done in four to five months. Instead, your goals and objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Hence, SMART goals are the best business goals. Having SMART goals provides your business with a clear direction towards success.

Step 4: Create Assignments and Timelines

After establishing SMART goals and objectives, the next thing you should do is create assignments and timelines. This means that the management plan should have a section that presents the distribution of assignments within the management team with its corresponding work schedule. The document should also highlight the different business strategies to follow to achieve or complete each task. In this phase of the management planning process, it is essential to consider the team’s skills and abilities to ensure that every goal-related task you have will be well-performing and follows an exact timeframe. In the management plan, you may place a chart or table to ensure that every assignment is outlined correctly.

Step 5: Have Evaluation Methods

The next that you should do is to have evaluation methods. In every management planning process, it is always essential to have a strategy that will help the team evaluate the progress of a project toward goal completion. So, regardless of what the management plan is for, it is imperative to consider having evaluation methods. There are three types of evaluation methods that you may use during the management planning process. These methods include goal-based, process-based, and outcome-based evaluations. It is also essential to provide a monthly management progress report to document what phase the project is in. Doing so is also necessary for documentation purposes.

Step 6: Come Up with Alternative Courses of Action

There is always a time that no matter how good and accurate your plan for a specific subject is, there is a possibility that it will be out of use once unanticipated events happen. That is why it is essential to have alternative courses of action to prevent the process from failing. So, the management plan should have a contingency plan. This is necessary for every planning process once some aspects of the master plan are unattainable. This plan can be placed on either each segment of the planning process or the plan’s entirety. It is also essential to consider having a risk management and analysis plan, especially during a project management process. Nevertheless, make sure that your alternative courses of action are goal-driven and should be well-defined in the management plan.

FAQs

What is project management?

Project management is a process used by businesses and organizations to manage resources and setting strategies that are essential for project completion. With proper project management, an organization will be able to accomplish their project goals and objectives.

What are the four types of planning?

There are four types of planning that businesses and organizations use. These include strategic planning, tactical planning, operational planning, and contingency planning. These types of planning are essential for business success.

What is a communication management plan?

A communication management plan is a document that outlines strategic plans on how to achieve business communication goals. Basically, this type of management plan is used to have a roadmap on what information to distribute, how to distribute it, and to whom it should be distributed.

Why is business planning necessary?

One of the main reasons why business planning is necessary because it helps businesses anticipate the future and enables them to prepare for risks that may appear along the way. Through planning, an organization or business will be able to have a clear direction on what they want to be in the future.

Although management planning is a long process to take in, surely the result will be beneficial for the business or organization. It will not only help the business accomplish their desired goals and objectives, but it will also help them improve their business’ performance. So, regardless of what your business is, it is always essential to have a plan, however long it takes. But, planning, to be effective, should be over a written document. Hence, the use of a management plan. This will serve as the business roadmap that you need to follow to achieve business goals. Remember, proper planning will result in better business management.