#124 - MSP Action Items - How Detailed Is Too Detailed | BMK VISION ROUNDTABLE

MSP Action Items - How Detailed Is Too Detailed (Josh Peterson & Gary Boyle) In this episode of the BMK Vision Roundtable, Josh Peterson and Gary Boyle work through a problem Josh brought from a live client engagement: he had handed one leader roughly thirty action items for a single initiative goal, and that leader told him it felt like being treated like a child. Together they dig into where action items actually sit inside a strategic plan, when a step becomes its own task, and why a plan can drift even when everyone is doing the work. This episode covers the difference between an action item and a step inside one, the weekly, monthly and quarterly cadence that keeps a plan honest, and the question most owners avoid asking out loud: how do you tell whether the plan is working, or whether the year just went your way? Gary closes with a client who ran what he grades as a C plus process and finished thirty to fifty percent ahead of plan, and what that says about the time horizon you give your own strategy. If you're an MSP owner, leader, or operator looking to grow, avoid common pitfalls, or learn from those who've done it before, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Learn more about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision Want to join Josh on the show? Apply to be a guest: https://beringmckinley.com/blog#speak... ---------- Connect with Your Hosts Josh Peterson:   / joshdpeterson   Gary Boyle:   / garyboyle   Bering McKinley:   / bering-mckinley   ---------- Topics We Cover Where action items belong: yearly plan, quarterly initiatives, monthly goals, weekly actions When something is a separate action item and when it is just a step inside one Why over-specifying is a deliberate coaching choice, and where it stops helping What happens when action items have no visible link to a larger goal The difference between ten things that are kind of the one thing and one that actually is How a plan drifts when good ideas keep getting added to the weekly meeting How to tell whether the plan is working or the quarter was simply kind to you Why a one-year time horizon changes what counts as evidence ---------- Chapters 00:00 - Cold open 00:41 - Thirty action items and a manager who felt micromanaged 02:03 - Where action items sit: yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly 02:59 - Why Josh over-specifies on purpose 04:37 - A separate task, or just a step inside one 05:45 - Action items with no link to a larger goal 07:33 - Ten things that are kind of the one thing 10:24 - How a plan drifts when you keep adding to the weekly meeting 11:39 - Did I choose the right action items, and the right initiatives 12:59 - How can you tell when the plan is actually working 13:26 - A client three years in, well ahead of plan 15:13 - A C plus process that produced A plus results 17:33 - Short time horizons are the real problem 19:19 - Give the plan a year and go through the motions 20:38 - Final thoughts ---------- Host Bio - Josh Peterson Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of The BMK Vision Podcast. Since 2004, Josh has worked with hundreds of MSP owners to build operationally sound, profitable businesses through consulting, peer teams, and direct coaching. LinkedIn:   / joshdpeterson   Co-Host Bio - Gary Boyle Gary Boyle is a Partner for Strategy & Business Development at Bering McKinley. With a background spanning network engineering, entrepreneurship, and strategic consulting, Gary brings real-world operator experience to helping MSP owners build stronger, more profitable businesses. LinkedIn:   / garyboyle   Learn more: https://beringmckinley.com/vision ---------- #MSP #ManagedServices #MSPOwner #BMKVisionPodcast #BusinessGrowth #StrategicPlanning