Establishing goals is an important process for any organization. Without a realistic set of objectives to strive for, companies are merely at the whim of the moment and have no real dream to guide them in their decision-making. Without goals, everything is reduced to a slew of rigid financial considerations.
With that in mind, now is the best time of year to set some goals for yourself. The new year is an opportunity to start fresh and rethink any business strategies that may not be working. Perhaps it’s your marketing initiatives. Maybe you need to introduce a few employee training programs or inventory management policies. Whatever it is, take these last few weeks of the year to review what isn’t working and develop strategies to make them perform to your business’ standards.
“Resolutions aren’t destinations. They’re starting points,” writes René Shimada Siegel for Inc. magazine. “We may never reach our destination or goal, and even if we do, we may discover it isn’t where we really want to be. Goals help us figure out what we think we want, but more importantly, goals help us figure out who we are and what we’re capable of achieving.”
As simple as it may seem to jot down a few goals – even if only mentally – many business owners are simply overwhelmed by the process. Here are a few things to consider when developing some goals for your organization.
1.) Don’t limit yourself
And don’t sell yourself short. Be ambitious and be confident that you have the expertise to meet that lofty sales goal or client signing. Goals that are easy to achieve will not be very fulfilling, but when you accomplish something that seems truly difficult or elusive, the sense of reward is almost overwhelming. Yet, you also want to be realistic, as you don’t want to set yourself up for disappointment.
2.) Work in threes
Siegel recommends setting three distinct yet relatively broad objectives for you and your organization. While you don’t want to loosen the terms of your goals and reduce your ambition, establishing three can actually be more manageable than a single daunting objective. This may also extend to mental reinforcement.
“It’s more loosely defined than one ominous goal,” Siegel writes for the source. “Select three concepts that will bring positive change in varying degrees throughout the year. Fun. Power. Attitude. Fit. Courage. Listen. Give. Post your three words everywhere as reminders to make decisions that reinforce your positive concepts.”
3.) Collaborate with partners and colleagues
If there are any individuals whom you look up to, consult them and seek their advice. They may know you better than you do yourself, so ask for their guidance in developing a set of goals. How can their input inform or influence your own understanding of your business. Not only can a mentor help motivate you, but they can also serve as an unbiased voice for your strategy. Toward that end, you can also ask for input from friends and co-workers, as they may offer a hint of much-needed objectivity that will limit your ambition to a reasonable level.
“Business and personal coaches can help you set realistic goals and measure your progress,” Siegel writes. “Many of us can’t see our own strengths, weaknesses and opportunities … They love the results. Professional coaches help me and my team set goals to go farther than we ever thought possible.”
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