Filled example: team action plan
Goal: run the first online version of a half-day presentation course by 27 November. Finish line: the first online group completes all three sessions and the team reviews the evaluation replies.
| # | Action (starts with a verb) | First step | Owner (said yes) | Due | Needs | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Redesign the course as three 60-minute online sessions | List which activities need a live group and which people can do alone | Lead trainer | 16 Oct | Two days of design time | The programme manager approves the session plan |
| A2 | Choose and test the breakout and recording set-up | Book a 30-minute test with two colleagues | Learning coordinator | 23 Oct | Platform admin rights | Test recording saved and room checklist written |
| A3 | Adapt the practice feedback sheet for online use | Draft an observer sheet with three items | Learning coordinator | 30 Oct | The current classroom sheet | The sheet is tested in the pilot |
| A4 | Run a 60-minute pilot with five volunteers | Invite volunteers from the waiting list | Co-trainer | 6 Nov | A1 to A3 complete | Pilot held and after action review recorded |
| A5 | Open bookings for the first online group | Write the course description for the new format | Programme manager | 10 Nov | Changes from the pilot agreed | Booking page live and waiting list invited |
| A6 | Deliver the first online group | Send joining details and pre-work | Lead trainer | 27 Nov | A5 complete; co-trainer as producer | All three sessions held and evaluation replies reviewed |
Action plan canvas
Blank version. Copy it into a document, or use the Excel plan, which counts days to each due date.
| # | Action (starts with a verb) | First step | Owner (said yes) | Due | Needs | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | ||||||
| A2 | ||||||
| A3 |
Filled example: review tracker
Three check-ins, two weeks apart. Each cell holds one status word.
| # | Action | Owner | Due | Check-in 1 | Check-in 2 | Check-in 3 | Note or decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Redesign as three online sessions | Lead trainer | 16 Oct | On track | Done | Done | Approved on 15 Oct |
| A2 | Test breakout and recording set-up | Learning coordinator | 23 Oct | Not started | At risk | Done | Admin rights came late; due date moved to 30 Oct at check-in 2 |
| A3 | Adapt the feedback sheet | Learning coordinator | 30 Oct | Not started | On track | Done | Tested in the pilot |
| A4 | Run a 60-minute pilot | Co-trainer | 6 Nov | Not started | Not started | Done | Held on 5 Nov; review recorded |
| A5 | Open bookings | Programme manager | 10 Nov | Not started | Not started | On track | Description drafted |
| A6 | Deliver the first online group | Lead trainer | 27 Nov | Not started | Not started | Not started | Start date is 17 Nov |
Status words for check-ins
Agree these words in the planning session so that a check-in takes minutes, not an hour.
| Status | Use it when | What happens at the check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Not started | The first step is not yet due | Confirm that the start date still holds |
| On track | The owner expects to meet the due date | No discussion needed |
| At risk | The owner expects to miss the date or lacks something | Agree help, a new date or a smaller scope |
| Done | The sign of completion exists | Check the sign, then close the action |
| Dropped | The team decided the action is no longer needed | Record why and who decided |
What you'll leave with
In 45 minutes the team agrees one goal with a finish line, three to seven actions that each have an owner who has said yes, a first step, a due date and a sign of completion, and the dates of three check-ins.
Before the session
- For facilitators, trainers and team leads who close a workshop, a retrospective or a planning meeting with a decision that needs action. Use it with the 3–12 people who will do the work. For a whole new project, start with the project kickoff meeting agenda instead.
- Before the session, write the goal as one sentence and check it with the person who owns it. Bring the deadlines, budget limits and dependencies the team must work within.
- Prepare the action plan canvas in a shared document or on a wall, and have the ownership questions ready on screen. Decide where the plan will be stored and who will run the check-ins.
- Offer silent writing on notes or in a document before discussion, turn on captions online, and say clearly that people can accept, question or decline an action they are offered.
How to fill it in with your team
Name the goal and the finish line
Read the goal aloud. Ask: “On the due date, how will we know that we reached it?” Agree one or two signs of completion that someone could check, such as a number, a date or a document that exists. Write the goal, why it matters and the finish line at the top of the canvas.
List possible actions in silence
Give four minutes of silent writing: each person writes actions that would move the goal forward, one per note, each starting with a verb. Then take two minutes to post the notes and remove exact duplicates. No discussion yet.
Choose the actions that matter
Group similar notes. Ask which actions the goal cannot be reached without, and which only help. Choose three to seven. Move the rest to a “later” list instead of deleting them, so that people can see their ideas were kept.
Make each action concrete
For each chosen action, write the first step, the owner, the due date, what the owner needs and how the team will know it is done. Use the ownership questions. The owner says yes aloud; if nobody accepts an action, it is not in the plan yet. Spend no more than two minutes per action.
Check capacity and dependencies
Read the owner column: does one person own more than two actions? Read the dates: does an action depend on another that is due later? Ask each owner: “What will you stop or delay to make room for this?” Change dates or owners where the answer shows a real conflict.
Agree the review rhythm and close
Set three check-in dates, for example every two weeks, and name who runs them. Agree the status words: not started, on track, at risk, done or dropped. Read the plan back once. Confirm where it is stored and who sends it today.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goal and finish line | What we want, why it matters and how we will know we reached it |
| Actions | Three to seven, each starting with a verb |
| Ownership | One owner who said yes, a first step and a due date for each action |
| Needs and dependencies | What each owner needs, and which actions depend on others |
| Check-ins | Three dates, who runs them and the status words |
Debrief questions
- Which action would we drop first if the team had half the time?
- Which owner has least control over their action, and what do they need from someone else?
- What will make the first check-in useful rather than a round of status reports?
Adapt it for your group
- For a large group, let smaller groups draft actions for one part of the goal each. Then run the last three steps with everyone, so that owners hear each other’s dates.
- Online, use a shared document with the canvas, collect silent writing in chat or a form, and read each action aloud before its owner accepts it. Make cameras optional.
- For people who prefer not to speak in a group, offer a way to accept or question an action in writing or in a private message before the plan is sent.
- For an individual action plan, use the same canvas with one owner, and ask a colleague or a manager to run the check-ins.
After the session
Send the action plan on the same day. At each check-in, discuss only the actions that are at risk, overdue or no longer needed, and the next three due dates. After the last check-in, compare the finish line with what exists, and record what the team would plan differently next time.
Questions people ask
What should an action plan template include?
A goal with a finish line, and for each action: what will be done, the first step, one owner, a due date, what the owner needs and how you will know it is done. A review tracker keeps the plan in use after the meeting.
How many actions should a team action plan have?
Three to seven for one goal. With more, owners spread their time thin and check-ins turn into long status reports. Keep other ideas on a later list.
Can an action have two owners?
Give each action one owner who says yes. Other people can help, and you can name them in the Needs column, but one person reports the status.
How often should we review an action plan?
Every one to two weeks for a plan that runs one to three months. Set three check-in dates in the planning session so that the reviews happen without a new invitation.
What does the Excel version calculate?
From the review date you enter, it shows the days left to each due date and flags overdue actions. It counts the actions that are done, at risk and overdue, and the share completed.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF has the ownership questions, the action plan canvas, the review tracker, filled examples of both and the 45-minute planning session. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, the Excel workbook and a CSV of the example plan.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.