You might look at a recipe and think it will make an amazing meal to impress guests. But if you don’t actually follow the recipe, you’ll end up with a dish that looks and tastes nothing like what you intended.

The same thing happens in organizations. You document plans and create strategies for what you want to accomplish, but then nobody references them. Plans and documentation are absolutely critical, but they become pointless the moment you stop using them. The work you’ve done putting together a plan won’t accomplish anything unless you’re willing to follow through and reference it consistently.

Consider the recipe analogy again. The first five to ten times you make a dish, you reference the recipe carefully, follow each step, and gather all your ingredients. Eventually, it becomes second nature. You internalize it. The same applies to your organizational plans and documentation. The more you reference it, the more you engage with it, the more it becomes automatic.

Many organizations hire consultants to create elaborate documentation and strategies, but it’s all wasted effort unless you’re genuinely committed to referencing those materials until they become embedded in how you work. That’s where the real change happens. And here’s the bonus: once you’ve used a plan or document the way it was intended, you’ll naturally start finding ways to tweak it for what works best for you and your team. Because who hasn’t replaced vanilla with twice as much chocolate once you understand the basics of a cake recipe? The same goes for your organization. Master the plan first, then make it your own.