Are you working from home today? Are you reading up on how the pandemic, that is sweeping the nation, might affect you today? The number one concern for every individual in the United States today, should be to maintain their health and sanity. So eat healthy, get outside and breath some fresh air, do a few squats, and drink water! Now that we have that out of the way, lets discuss how your business is doing…
Issues like the Coronavirus, can create major problems for many industries. The key word here is “problems.” Why? Because, problems mean we have an opportunity to solve them! I want to share with you how I would approach these problems we are facing as businesses, as well as, some practical ways to solve them.
I believe everyone needs to approach this pandemic practically, and strategically. This is how the most successful businesses are run at all times. Yes, it is important to take the necessary precautions, and you may need to develop a new or adapted strategy, in order to achieve your business goals. Many people are scared when they see the word strategic. Thinking that means complicated. Let me assure you strategic does NOT mean complicated! I like to use practical strategies to accomplish all of my goals. Strategy means “a plan of action.” Another word for practical means “feasible”, or “possible to do easily or conveniently.” Therefore, we need to have a plan of action, (strategy) and create that plan in the most convenient way (practical). By creating a mindset that uses this approach you will be able to think clearly and make steady progress.
Here are some simple and effective tips that will apply to any business, and if done well, will allow your business to achieve the quality results it really wants. Try these as you create your practical, and strategic plan today.
- Determine your end goal. This may have to be reevaluated (if you haven’t already) due to Coronavirus. Determine your number one end goal for the year 2020. This could be a revenue goal, a culture shift goal, a training goal, a retention goal, a brand recognition goal, or a customer service goal. Whatever it may be, determine your most important goal and write it down! Determining your end goal allows you to work backwards to determine what actions you can take to achieve that goal. The book The One Thing, by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan, is a fantastic resource to dive deeper into this concept.
- Communicate with your leaders. Bring the individuals together, who will be responsible for the outcomes you desire. As a team, collaborate. In order to collaborate effectively, you must all be involved. Call on any individuals hiding in the back, and make sure they are providing the valuable input that you hired them to. Preface your conversations with the WHY. Letting your team know why their input is important and what you desire to create out of the conversation, will ensure they feel united. Every team member is essential and deserves the platform to share their ideas. This may make some people uncomfortable, who consider themselves more introverted. This is why it is important to make this your “new normal” and assure everyone on your team understands your expectations. So don’t throw this on them without giving them some time to prepare. Preparation is an important measure to take. Make sure when they share their ideas that you recognize them as valuable. You may decide not take action in the way they suggested, however you need to discuss the aspects of their ideas. Who, what, when, how, etc. This will provide the team member the assurance that, despite you not implementing their particular idea, you gave it the attention it deserved and explained why, instead of quickly shutting the idea down.
- Develop an action plan. Write out the actions needed to reach your end goal. This simple step is often overlooked, and not given the proper attention it deserves. Write out the steps needed, as well as, who will complete the tasks, and when you need them done by. Make sure you make note of when these tasks are completed. Regular check-in’s that deliver the status of a project plan, will allow everyone to stay on schedule, and remain accountable for their responsibilities.
- Delegate Appropriately. Delegation is a hot topic for leaders, when trying to find the most effective way to delegate. I believe this is because the word itself sounds as though it opposes the collaboration which leaders are supposed to foster. Let me reassure you, that you do need delegation. There are leaders who are able to manage teams who are putting in their full effort, and working together to achieve an end goal, and the leader is still ensuring that the individuals responsible have a clear understanding of what is to be done. Delegation is something that can be learned, practiced, and when done well, will deliver effective and efficient results.
- Follow Through. The last tip I will share with you today, is to follow through. It is so often I see a fantastic plan, with milestones markers, quality resources, and motivated team members, end up falling through the cracks and never getting fully accomplished. Adapting as needed is one thing. However, in my experience, momentum can lose its strength, and turn a fantastic plan into a flop. Don’t forget to follow through. Find a way to organize your time effectively and train your team members to do the same. Without follow through you will find yourself always looking for something that will work, when maybe it is you as a leader, who needs to follow through with your plan first. There can also be a negative effect on your team members when they see that follow through is not a priority for you, and that will not help to build the trustworthy relationships that are so imperative to any successful business.
I hope you find these tips useful. Please see what MES Consulting could do for your successful business today, by helping you build a strong team. Visit www.trainingsuccess.net
Until Next Time…
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