Remember back at the end of 2022, when managers and other company leaders sat down to forecast the year ahead? There were moments of bright optimism and calls for big growth, great expansion, growing revenues?
Goals were set, both for the overall year ahead and for the first quarter. Expectations were discussed and aspirations were set.
Now we’re getting into Q2: How are those Q1 goals and benchmarks looking? Did you meet them? Exceed them?
Goals set a guideline for what you and your team are expected to do. It takes the guesswork out of setting priorities and helps to keep focus centered on where efforts need to be directed in order to be successful. Goals also give you something to track in order to make sure everyone’s moving in the right direction.
Here’s how to get a strong start in place for Q2 and beyond:
Start with what you’ve already established.
Take a close look at your initial goals for the first quarter of the year. Was everything accomplished? Were all projects started? Were some items started but not quite completed yet because other things took priority? Build your Q2 goals from that point: Pick up the slack of what’s left undone and start there.
Revise any other predetermined goals.
When setting year-ahead projections, it’s possible there were some goals that were identified for Q2 based on what was intended for Q1. As we all know, life happens when you’re busy working on other things. Look at the goals and benchmarks originally intended for Q2 and see if they still apply. Maybe a big project that was supposed to take off in earnest this quarter was thrown out due to a major shift in a partner or project, or maybe a new opportunity has come up that needs to be addressed. Either way, you want to set goals that are achievable and make sense. Everything should be done with that in mind.
Determine how to make your vision happen.
What steps need to happen for these goals to be achieved? What parts need to be in place — do you have the right resources? The right number of employees? Does your team have the right skills or do they need training? The most brilliant ideas aren’t going to be realized if the correct tools aren’t in place.
Break everything down into steps.
Things won’t be achieved overnight. Determine the right sequence of events and then develop a step-by-step guide for ticking off all the goals you want your team to achieve. What’s your role in these — make sure you consider your commitments as a manager, the amount of time you’ll need to supervise and train compared with when you can provide instruction and then take your hands off the proverbial wheel. Make sure everything is spelled out clearly and in detail.
Communicate the importance of these goals, and these processes, with your team.
In order to be successful, the people who work with you need to know where you’re coming from and, more importantly, where you’re all trying to go together. Share your vision, your priorities and your expectations with them. Talk it through and take their feedback into consideration. Make adjustments as needed in order to keep your goals attainable. Then give a great pep talk and get to work!
Having goals is an important way to make sure you’re leading your team in the right direction. Setting benchmarks is a great way to ensure you’re progressing on a positive timeline. Without goals, it’s very easy to accept the status quo as good enough, leaving open the possibility that someone else, in a competing company, will see a chance to swoop in and lure customers away.
If you’re looking for more people on your team to help achieve a strong Q2 showing, call Debbie’s Staffing. We have great candidates with the background and experience you need, and they’re eager to get to work. Give Debbie’s Staffing a call today and let’s make this quarter a great one.
