The King walked proudly through his market square with Igor, the moat builder for the castle, on one side of him, and Slide Rule, the architect for the castle, on his other side. The King was proud, the sky was blue and everything was good. “So, Igor and Slide, it’s a new year. I assume both of you have your business plans ready?”
Slide glanced at Igor and made a face.
“Actually, I’m quite close to finishing it. But I never know if I have enough, and whether I need to add more tactics, or expand the ones I already have,” said Igor.
“Very good. How about you, Slide?”
“To be honest, I haven’t started it yet. Last year’s plan should be good enough.”
“That’s what you said last year. How old is your plan? Be honest now.”
“At least three years old, your Majesty.”
“Typical for most businesses. What if something unexpected happens?”
Slide took a gamble and decided to debate the King. “Your honor, even though my plan is old, it’s good, and if something happens, I’m sure that the plan will provide me guidance and wisdom.”
“I understand. Have either one of you ever heard of the ‘Law of the Billiard Table’?”
“No,” said Slide. “What’s a billiard table?”
“It’s a future thing. I’d like to show you what it is. I think you’ll find it interesting.”
The King, now surrounded by his Knights, immediately left and signaled for Igor and Slide to follow. They eventually arrived at the East Corner Tower, entered the guarded doorway and started to climb the steps to the top. Round and round they went until eventually they arrived at the top. When they entered the chamber, before them was a green felt billiard table.
“What’s that?” asked Slide.
“It’s a billiard table, also referred to as a pocket pool table. Sometimes I come up here in the evenings and play. Let me demonstrate the game.” Cold beers were immediately served, and as Slide and Igor watched, the King took down a pool cue from the wall, and started to demonstrate the finer points of the game. After a while, there were only two balls left on the table. The white ball, known as the cue ball, was sitting down at one end of the table, and the red ball was at the other end, partly overhanging the corner pocket.
“Now,” said the King, “the white ball is sitting at this end of the table, and it represents your strategic business and marketing plan. The implementation of the plan is when you strike the cue ball and it rolls down the table and hits the red ball. When the red ball drops into the pocket, it represents that your plan is successful, meaning all your goals and objectives are met, and you are profitable for the year.”
“Wow,” said Igor. “That’s a great way to look at it.”
“OK, now, I’m going to move the white ball all the way down the table and place it about a foot away from the overhanging red ball and also at an angle. Same situation, but closer. There is no chance that you can miss, meaning in our analogy, that there’s no way your strategic business and marketing plan is not going to be profitable. Right?”
“Right,” they both said.
“Wrong.”
“What?!”
“You’re both wrong.”
“Please explain,” said Igor.
“The ‘Law of the Billiard Table’ states there is no possible way for you to miss the shot. Meaning of course, in our analogy, that your business plans will be successful. However, what I’m telling you is there is always something that you don’t know.”
“How so?”
“What if a meteorite is headed toward earth and strikes the pool table just as you were setting up to take the shot? The ‘Law of the Billiard Table’ says you should have made the shot. But remember, there’s always something you don’t know, and that’s the reason for business planning. You must have contingency plans as part of your business plan.”
“So, that means we don’t know what we don’t know, and the business plan, if done correctly, helps us prepare for the unknown. It would follow then that all business plans must be updated on a regular basis.”
“Slide! You got it. Good for you!”
Igor raised his hand. “So what you’re also saying, is that the closer the cue ball is to the red ball, meaning you have a very detailed plan with a lot of ‘what ifs’ addressed, the better chance you have in making the plan, but it still means you must always manage the plan, as there are always unknowns lurking about.”
“Yeaaaaa, for Igor.”
NOTE: The ‘Law of the Billiard Table’ was first mentioned in Ian Flemings’ novel, “From Russia, With Love,” first published in 1957. For more information on the ‘Law of The Billiard Table,’ go to www.compassconsultantscorp.com/Billiards.html
Ronald A. McKenzie is president of COMPASS Consultants Corp., a strategic planning and marketing company specializing in developing business growth. He is a published author and has made nationwide presentations on the subject of strategic planning and marketing. He resides in Las Vegas and can be reached at ramckenzie.compass@gmail.com and www.compassconsultantscorp.com.