High-impact annual planning is all about setting and aligning on priorities, not making predictions. It’s a rare chance to step back, reconnect, and set a shared direction throughout the company. But too often, teams treat it like a box to check or a meeting to survive, and that’s when momentum stalls.
If you want to make your planning count, here are the things that matter most:
Stage Awareness: Be realistic about your company’s Stage of Development. Annual planning only works once you have product-market fit and a team that can execute.
Time Horizons: Your vision should guide next year’s priorities, and those priorities should roll down into 90-day Rocks. That’s how direction turns into action.
Trust: Alignment requires people who trust each other enough to speak plainly and challenge ideas.
Clarity: Leaders set the direction, but every team has to translate it into commitments they own.
When you do this right, annual planning becomes more than a meeting. It’s a reset button to keep your company focused and your culture strong in the upcoming year.
PERSPECTIVES
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything." — Dwight D. Eisenhower
MARK MY WORDS
I’ve been part of a lot of Annual Planning Meetings over the years, and I’ve seen some that really worked and others that completely missed the mark. Here’s something I’ve learned: A solid plan doesn’t come from having the perfect agenda. It comes from having a team that trusts each other enough to be honest, work through hard issues, and stay grounded in what really matters.
Planning well doesn’t guarantee results, but it does create the conditions for success. When people leave that room aligned on what’s most important and what needs to happen next, the energy shifts. The work gets sharper, your culture gets stronger, and progress compounds.
FOUNDER TOOL KIT
Ninety’s EOS® Annual Planning Guide If you're running an EOS Annual Planning Session, this guide is for you. It's the same one we use inside Ninety and with the teams we coach. You'll find everything you need to lead a clear, focused, high-trust session without overcomplicating the process.
In case you missed it, here’s more from Founder’s Framework:
Essential Modes for Founders: When to Lean In, Pull Back, or Let Go
Great founders don’t lead from a single mindset. They shift modes based on what the company needs and what the moment demands. In this piece, I break down the three essential modes of founder leadership and how to use each one intentionally.
