You might have heard about the Chinese proverb that says, "When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people." And part of that training should be developing a backup plan.

You may have made the best-laid plans, but what if something unexpected happens? I can't emphasize enough how important backup plans are. You should always have a Plan B and possibly Plans C and D. The bigger the deal or event, the more detailed your backup plan should be.

As I was building my envelope manufacturing company, whenever we had a big event, I would always ask everyone on my team, "What can go wrong?" And just as important, "What is our backup plan?"

Planning is time-consuming and, let's face it, many people don't like to do it. But you don't put all your eggs in one basket. That would be regarded as rash or unprofessional. That's why you need a plan and, equally important, a backup plan.

I'm a big believer in being prepared. How many special events, meetings, weddings or businesses have been ruined because people didn't have backup plans? We live in an imperfect world. If we don't plan for something to go wrong, something inevitably will.

Maybe it's an out-of-town speaker who can't make it to your event due to bad weather, traffic, or plane or car trouble. Or your audiovisuals go down, or there are transportation issues. There are a myriad of things that can go haywire.

I recently attended a charity event in a rural area. Ten minutes into the party, the lights went out. All the electricity was off. Bye-bye, catering. That also meant the plumbing was inoperational, because it ran on an electric pump. This was an evening event, so sunlight was not an option. Guests stumbled in the dark to their cars, leaving all the silent auction items still artfully arranged on the tables. The night was a total bust. The rescheduled event six weeks later -- at an area hotel -- drew fewer than half the original guest list. And raised half the anticipated funds.

People don't plan to fail; they fail to plan. In the above scenario, did anyone give any thought to an emergency generator?

When I'm asked about important skills for leaders, it's hard to beat a hungry fighter, but there are a lot of other traits that I look for, like planning skills.

Even if what you're planning seems like a sure thing, it's always good to consider the worst-case scenario. For example, in the early 1950s, Hewlett-Packard Co. founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard needed an additional manufacturing plant to keep up with the company's growth. However, they approached the venture with caution. They chose a general design that, in the event of a company failure or hard times, could easily double as a supermarket space they could lease.

Planning, and backup planning, saves precious time because you are prepared to act if any unforeseen circumstances arise. Rather than switching into panic mode, you can react with confidence.

When I am preparing to give a speech, I have some specific requirements, including a second microphone, spare batteries and a technician in the room. I carry a ruler and tape so I can enlarge the lip on the lectern so my papers don't scatter all over the floor. I tape over the door latches so the noise doesn't distract the audience if someone comes in late. When you have worked hard to deliver a quality product, it hardly makes sense to ignore the details. Plan ahead to prevent disasters.

Do you back up your computer files? Have you ever been working on your computer for an hour or two on an important document, when suddenly a power surge wipes out your masterpiece? You'll quickly learn to back up frequently.

Your career is no place to wing it. You need a career plan, and you need to review that plan on a regular basis. From getting an education to developing skills to finding the first job, knowing what path you want to take requires forethought. Assessing your career progress is part of your plan. If you decide to quit your job, you'd better have a backup plan. Or you can plan to be right back where you started.

Mackay's Moral: A plan isn't a plan until you have a backup plan.

The future ain't what it used to be.

Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges of any life -- or any business -- is adequately preparing for the future. Knowing what lies ahead, even with the most thorough research and best available information, is hardly a science. Tomorrow remains a mystery. We can make plans, make predictions, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Sometimes we get lucky. How do we ensure that those "lucky" days happen more often than not?

At the age of 81, historian Arnold Toynbee reflected upon life as he had known it. He said: "As one grows older, the temptation to dwell on the past and to avert one's eyes from the future grows. If one were to fall into this backward-looking stance, one would be as good as dead before physical death had overtaken us.

"Our minds, so long as they keep their cutting edge, are not bound by our physical limits; they can range over time and space into infinity. To be human is to be capable of transcending oneself."

Humans have demonstrated hope for the future since Adam. Planting a tree, building sturdy shelters, populating the planet -- all showed optimism for the future. European explorers braved uncharted seas and flat Earth skeptics to reach the New World. American pioneers pushed westward in search of a better future for themselves.

Did they have a business plan? Were their actions based on the latest research? Were they brave risk-takers? No, no and yes. Because the future involves taking risks.

But there are some steps you can take to minimize risks before you jump in with both feet. Whether you hope to start your own business, plan to rise to the top of the organization you currently work for, or just want to support your employer's success the best you can, understanding how a business grows and survives is central to a successful career. These factors will influence your fortunes and your organization's growth over the long haul:

-- Trust. At every level of your organization, insist that workers understand the importance of keeping their word and living up to your values. Customers and co-workers want to know they can depend on you.

-- Decisiveness. Learn to make decisions promptly instead of waiting for every last piece of data. An imperfect decision that you can correct later is almost always better than a right answer that comes too late.

-- Competition. Study your market and get to know everything you can about other players in your industry. You don't want to be caught off guard by a rival's new idea, and you don't want to always be on the defensive against what the competition is up to.

-- Records. Document your activities thoroughly. Good records help you preserve ideas, establish your credibility, and prove your point when the facts aren't clear. This applies to finances, employees, ideas and everything else you and your organization are responsible for.

-- Network. Build relationships and connections with a wide variety of people in and out of your industry. Your network can be a source of ideas, employees and advice, so take the time to build it up. Don't miss any opportunity to meet new people who can help you, and make sure you are available to return the favor.

-- Patience. Concentrate on incremental progress. Overnight sensations and blockbuster victories are usually optical illusions facilitated by months or years of quiet effort. Establishing a habit of slow but steady success will build everyone's confidence and minimize risk.

-- Risk. Sometimes you simply must take a risk to move forward. With all the other factors solidly established, you should be in position to predict potential success.

-- Optimism. Maintain a positive attitude rather than an outlook of impending doom. The future looks brightest for those who look for the bright side.

A long time ago, I discovered the following mantra, which helps me focus on my future. It is a simple formula that links the present to the unknown. The words vary, but the sentiments have been attributed to a number of great planners such as Mahatma Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher, among others.

"Watch your thoughts for they become your words.

"Watch your words for they become your actions.

"Watch your actions for they become your habits.

"Watch your habits for they become your character.

"Watch your character for it becomes your destiny."

Mackay's Moral: We may not be able to predict the future, but we can prepare for it.

A man and his father are traveling by car. The car stalls at some railroad tracks. A train comes along and hits the car. The father is killed instantly. The man is severely injured. They take the man to the hospital. The surgeon takes one look at the man and says, "I can't operate on this man. He is my son!"

How can that be?

Answer: The surgeon is his mother.

I've been posing this riddle during many of my speeches for years and asking how many people got it. The number of hands that shoot up has increased dramatically. Today it is nearly 30 to 40 percent. Fifteen years ago it was only 5 to 10 percent. Hopefully 10 to 15 years from now it will be near 100 percent.

Why do I bring this up? March is Women's History Month to highlight the contributions of women in history and contemporary society. International Women's Day is March 8.

It's interesting to note that Women's History Month traces its beginnings back to 1911 when the California school district of Sonoma started a Women's History Week. But it wasn't until 1980 that President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week.

The proclamation stated: "From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well ... ."

Throughout the next several years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as Women's History Week. In 1987, March was officially declared Women's History Month by Congress.

Make no mistake; women have always worked in this country. But they became most visible during World War II, when women worked on the production lines in factories that manufactured many of the supplies for the war effort. Remember Rosie the Riveter and the motto commonly associated with her image? "We can do it."

But those jobs returned largely to men after 1945, and there was a perception that women were no longer qualified for those jobs. It took another 30 years to establish that skills, not gender, determine the ability to perform on the job. As Bob Thaves observed, "Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels."

Women have been fighting to prove their worth in the workplace for generations. The Women's Liberation Movement of the 1960s and 1970s signaled a real turning point. Progress has been steady, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Here are the stats from just a few months ago from colleges and universities across the United States.

61 percent of all the pharmacy graduates are women.

63 percent of the auditors and accountants are women.

41 percent of MBA students are women.

47 percent in law school are women.

48 percent in medical school are women.

The number of women entrepreneurs is multiplying two to four times faster than men, depending on which part of the country you study. Last year, 74 percent of all start-up companies were founded by women. According to Carlson Wagonlit Travel, female business travelers will equal their male counterparts in three to five years, up from 18 percent 25 years ago.

The statistic that really grabs my attention is that women entrepreneurs and business owners employ more people than the Fortune 500 companies combined.

In June 2009, women held almost 50 percent of the country's 132 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and their numbers are growing in the few sectors of the economy that are expanding. In health care, for example, women account for 79 percent of jobs gained (4.5 million), whereas men represent just 1.18 million new jobs. In government, women hold 94 percent of jobs created (1.8 million), and men account for 12,000 new jobs.

Still, salary disparities persist, although the gap is narrowing. Just not quickly enough.

I like the story about a first-grade teacher who asked her students to fill in the blanks on famous sayings. On the blackboard, the teacher wrote, "A miss is as good as a ________." Immediately a little girl raised her hand, stood beside her desk, and said proudly, "A miss is as good as a mister."

Mackay's Moral: History is herstory too.