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I recently shared my one-page cheat sheet for framing HR initiatives in terms of the business problems they address. It included space to define the business problem or pain point we’re trying to solve, highlight supporting data, recommend a high-level talent solution (in my example, workforce planning), and outline the negative impact of waiting or not acting. The resource enables us to critically evaluate the business impact of HR initiatives and strengthen the case for executive sponsorship. I’ve found it useful to pair that first one-pager with a second focused on implementation. While the first anchors us in the “why,” the second shows the “how.” By breaking initiatives into clear phases—each with a label, description, and sample deliverables—we can make proposals more concrete and less overwhelming. To illustrate, I’m sharing an example of how workforce planning might be structured across three phases. This is just a starting point that you can adapt to your organization or any initiative. Sometimes, pairing a concise business case with a phased plan is enough to create clarity, build support, and reduce unnecessary complexity—helping us take the first steps toward action rather than waiting for the “perfect” plan or conditions. Also, if you find value in resources like this, you will want to learn more about my private community for internal HR practitioners, Talent Edge Circle.
