There is much irony involved in the Internet's hatred for Snow, not least of which is the fact he's the best XIII character by a country mile.
"Heroes don't need plans" might as well be the battle cry of most shounen anime protagonists and Final Fantasy is nothing if not a shounen anime.
The examples that stick out most clearly in my mind right now are how Zidane and the gang literally jump into a portal to another planet. How are they gonna get back? What would they do if a death squad waited for them on the other end? What would happen if there was no gravity or oxygen on the other planet? WHO CARES, LET'S JUST GO!
Then there's also how Tidus says, after he finds out what will happen to Yuna, that "I'll think of something!" Guess what? He never thought of anything. He and the others just kept bumbling along until the solution fell in their laps.
Because this is the Shounen - the FF - way. Act First, Think Never.
Actually, FFVIII could have used more of Snow's philosophy as literally every plan ever concocted in that game was beyond retarded. Which is why Seifer was the only smart person in that game. He didn't believe in plans either.