2020 has been very interesting, and if you’re like most of us, we’re anticipating a healthy and POSITIVE 2021.
While this year has been different than most, this is still the time of year where we prepare for the new year.
Unfortunately, many businesses have every good intention to improve for the upcoming year, but then “life” and daily activity in their company take over.
It’s then this time of year again, without significant progress on the goals set in December.
To follow are some steps you can take now to help you get started on the right foot:
Outline Your Goals
Being “busy” does not mean you’re making progress.
Now is the time you need to establish your short-term objectives to continue moving your business forward to reach its long-term goals.
Make them clear and easy to understand, so you know what needs to happen to achieve critical milestones.
Make Sure Your Reporting is Aligned
It’s vital to ensure your financials are in order as they tell the real story. Do you have an accountant or CPA helping to get your financial house in order? You don’t need to be a numbers pro, but you do need to understand where things stand.
Work with the person who manages these tasks for you and outline what you need to see each month.
Take your monthly reporting seriously, as this allows you to steer your team’s focus and adapt the direction for your business. Your business will evolve, but you need to ensure your metrics keep you ahead of the competition and align with your company goals.
Is Your Team Empowered?
Whether you have one team member or fifty employees, make sure they’re all on board to help you follow the vision you have for your company.
Simultaneously, make it easy for them to understand and “buy-in,” which allows them to understand your thinking with a higher success rate to help your company move forward—all with a smile on their face.
Are you still building your team and want the best of the best?
You may want to consider outsourcing this task to a recruiting professional who has the network and savvy to bring only the best candidates to your door. Sorting through resumes, holding interview upon interview, and knowing the right questions to ask can be daunting. Not to mention, it takes you away from working on your core business.
The right firm will do this work for you and bring you the best person(s) to fill the position and fit your culture.
Don’t Be Intimidated With Structure
You’ve outlined your plan and included the tactics needed to get there.
Stick to the plan, and even if you are a sole proprietor, schedule time each month to review where you stand so that you don’t travel too far down the road and not realize there were damaging bumps.
Compare month-to-month and steering left or right is OK, flexibility is essential, but following some of the above steps help prevent a complete U-turn.