It's almost the end of Q3, which means annual (and quarterly) planning is just around the corner. If you’re like most people, this sentence just filled you with dread.
We've been through dozens of planning cycles after spending 10 years at Eventbrite and seven years at Airbnb, so we've seen firsthand how messy and challenging it can be. Sometimes we were still working on our annual plan — three months into the year. Other times a half-assed plan was rushed through approvals, only to be abandoned entirely after only six months. For most of us, by the time planning ends we’re left with bruised egos, misaligned plans, and a lack of buy-in.
