12/ 29/ 2006
Help yourself and your employees set goals to make 2007 your best year in business yet
With the excitement of the holidays over, it can be difficult to motivate yourself and your employees once everyone returns to work and settles back into their regular routines. As the throngs of winter set in--along with the extra pounds you put on at Christmas--it's easy to feel sluggish and apathetic. But the reality is, what you do in your business this month will set the pace for the rest of the year. Take advantage of the spirit of optimism and renewal that the new year perpetuates and translate it into success for your business by doing some goal setting in your workplace. Encourage employees to pursue these professional objectives with the fervor that they bring to personal ones like losing weight, exercising or getting organized.
As you and your employees take time to reflect on 2006 and set goals for 2007, here are a few tips to help you turn your resolutions into reality:
Put it on paper. The act of writing your goals down will help you clarify and remember them better. Think about areas that you want to improve. For each goal that you list, include a strategy of how you will achieve it, whether it involves changing a behavior or taking a course or seminar to develop a skill. Keep these in a place where you can review them regularly. If you are setting company-wide goals, make sure that each one benefits not only your business but also your customers and employees. Also, be sure to assign responsibility for carrying these out and set up a date a few months away for examining progress. Post these resolutions on a bulletin board in the office or distribute them to employees and managers so they don't get lost in the shuffle.
Be realistic. Be honest about what you want to achieve in the new year. Are your goals realistic at this time? You may have a great idea for expanding your products or services or improving productivity or customer service, but the timing needs to be right, and you must have resources in place to support your goal. Also, ask yourself: Is this a goal or a change that most everyone will stand behind? Assign measurable standards and reasonable timetables to check your progress on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Set priorities. List your goals in order of their overall importance to your company. Whether you hope to reduce customer complaints, increase repeat business, maximize your budget or boost productivity or employee satisfaction, you must understand what objectives are most vital to the success of the business. This may be a good time to solicit feedback from others inside and outside your company--they can help you gauge where your focus should be.
Paint a picture. As you outline goals for 2007, are you settling for the status quo, or are you striving to reach the next level? Revisit your original hopes for your business or your career and see where they match up to where you are now. Allow yourself leeway to think freely, dream big and think outside the box to get your creative juices flowing. Visualize where you hope to be a year from now and share that picture with others.
Focus on the future. It is good to learn from past mistakes, but once you do, cast them off and resolve to look ahead. Take a moment to celebrate past successes and recognize accomplishments, but don't rest on your laurels. Approach every task with the understanding of how it will contribute to your overall vision for yourself and for your company. Encourage your employees to do the same and keep each other accountable.
