Lots of ideas sound good in theory around the conference room table, but when it comes to setting the wheels in motion they fail.

A good friend who serves as Vice President for a large corporation recently described how he, on his own volition, took a couple of weeks away from the comfort of his office to experience many different working pieces of the company from the sales personnel to the truck drivers to the managers and everything in between. He rode with the drivers, he lifted boxes, he shadowed salesclerks. Impressive. Although it was an exhausting journey, it provided an appreciation and level of understanding for the workings of the company he could not have otherwise gained. With the new found knowledge he could serve as a better leader for the company and make more informed decisions.

I personally have never lead people in a job that I hadn’t executed on myself even if for a short period of time. Not everyone has the ability to gain experience in all pieces of a department or company that they have responsibility for, but we can all gather input. Makers of products for mothers gather input from moms, toy makers gather feedback from kids, with input from contractors Ford Motor Company offers an F-150 that helps them find and keep from losing tools.

Avoid having your thought leaders, who are without question an asset with their creativity and innovation but who lack experience in execution, write plans for others to implement without at least seeking input. A lack of experience is a lack of understanding of the customers, donors, volunteers, vendors, day-to-day challenges and the surprises that those carrying out the plans face. This absence of empathy can cause unrealistic expectations, unattainable goals, and frustration on both ends.

A significant amount of pressure is being put on businesses and organizations, large and small, to effectively utilize new media tools and produce tangible results within a set timeline. Rather than having the authors of your social media plan consist of managers with no social media presence, seek input from those effectively using it and responsible for execution. Bringing those responsible for taking action into the planning will also give them a vested interest in its success.