If you are burned out at the thought of another daunting year and trying to plan, you are probably not alone. Trying to figure out what will happen and how its going to affect your organization seems like a crap shoot. Yet many leaders who recognize that they need to change, fail to understand how to make the necessary changes in turbulent times. Here are 3 things you can do with your teams to get your work environment to function better this year.
Play to Win: Oftentimes as leaders we feel too tired to do anything other than be in the game. However, if we want to succeed, we need to change our mindset. Playing to win is a mental concept that enables us to survive tough times. Sometimes we need something to fight for, to strive for, to achieve. Setting goals that we are going to accomplish with our team gives us something to motivate and rally our team around. If we have nothing to strive for as people, we become bored. If you want to improve your business, pick some targets and get your people visualizing what it will be like when that happens. A team that has
something to play for usually works harder than a team that is just coming out to play.
90 Day Planning: It is said that as much can happen in 12 weeks as can happen in 12 months if you have a group of motivated people. I have observed this in my businesses and with many of my clients. Having two or three goals to accomplish in 12 weeks and working on a plan to accomplish them can be significant. When your team is engaged and working together, there is less pressure on leadership to get the desired results. 12-week planning can be the ticket that gives spark and direction to organizations when properly managed. This type of planning is often much better than long range strategic planning for employees because they are able to see results in a short period of time.
Change it up: Let's face it, what worked for us in the past usually doesn’t give the same results in today’s ever changing economic and technological landscape. While we need to be cognisant of the reasons for our past successes, we must adapt to enable our organizations to achieve a bright future. Loggers transitioned from axes to chainsaws to feller bunchers, and farmers from horses and plows to tractors. We too must recognize that there are places and times for the basic tools of our trade. However, in order to keep up with the times our technology must advance or we will be left behind. You will find that there are people in your organization that will resist change, however as a leader, it is your job when necessary, to convince them that change will be good for their future.
There is no better time than now to figure out how we can take our organization to the next level. The times may be changing. Are you ready?
Dave Fuller, MBA, is an Award Winning Certified Professional Business Coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Need Less Stress and Better Outcomes? Email dave@pivotleader.com
Comments