David Cummings on Startups

V2MOM Planning Process for Startups

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David Cummings

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In Marc Benioff’s book Behind the Cloud he talks about the V2MOM planning process he used at Salesforce.com to grow it into the largest SaaS company in the world. The goal with V2MOM is to create alignment from the CEO through to every front-line employee. V2MOM represents vision, values, methods, obstacles, and metrics.

A key aspect of V2MOM is that it is done at the corporate level, each department, and each individual. Here are more details of each:

  • Vision – big picture idea for the next 12 months
  • Values – the main 3-5 values for the company
  • Methods – specific tactics to achieve desired goals
  • Obstacles – openly talk about things that are working against success
  • Metrics – key performance indicators

Again, these five items are addressed by every level and every individual in the organization. Building alignment in a startup, especially as it achieves significant economies of scale is difficult. The amount of communication required grows faster than headcount. V2MOM is a great approach to addressing alignment.

What else? What are your thoughts on the V2MOM planning process for startups?

Comments

2 responses to “V2MOM Planning Process for Startups”

  1. Kevin O'Malley Avatar
    Kevin O’Malley

    Great blog! Alignment is really difficult and I will look into this v2mom. Reminded me of the one company that brings alignment it to another level, UPS. They use balance scorecard and it is used from top of ivory tower in Atlanta across the globe for delivery driver in the streets of India. Amazing alignment structure brought together via shared values, understood roles, and connected metrics.

    Reply
  2. jaydevkarandeJaydev Avatar
    jaydevkarandeJaydev

    Nice blog.

    Just wanted to provide further clarity on the Values part of the V2MOM. Rather than being the 3-5 main values for the company, it’s more so focused on the reasons why the Vision is important, otherwise “what is important about the vision”.

    This V2MOM, was constructed as a framework inspired by Tony Robbins as part of his RPM (Rapid Planning Method). It’s completely designed to do the following:

    1. Define the Result/Outcome (What you really want?) – This creates clarity of the objective.
    2. Purpose (Why do you really want it?) – This creates the energy and motivation to take action.
    3. Massive Action Plan or “Methods” (What am I going to do to get it?) – This lets you get going towards the goal.

    Reply

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