Long-Term Plans May Be DANGEROUS to Your Company’s Health!
The 3 Steps You Must Take NOW to See Drastic Improvement in 3 Months!
In an effort to improve, most companies search for new ideas, techniques, or strategies in the hopes that these new approaches will deliver better results. The No. 1 factor holding a business back from achieving success is not a lack of knowledge. It’s not some new-fangled idea, hard work, talent, or luck. Now, don’t get me wrong—all of those things help. But they are not what make the difference.
Execution is the greatest game-changer. Great companies execute better than their competition. So the obstacle standing between you and the result you want to achieve is a lack of consistent execution.
One reason why businesses fail to execute and achieve their best: they have a long-term planning process. Yes! Planning can hinder you! It can be the barrier to high performance. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have long-term plans and goals—you should! However, too many contractors use those plans and goals as a crutch. They procrastinate. And as a result, performance suffers.
At the beginning of a year, so many people look at their yearlong plan and think to themselves, “We have plenty of time.” December is nothing more than a speck in the distance. Instantly, they lose any sense of urgency! They fail to realize that every month, week, day, and hour is important! Effective execution must occur daily for annual plans to be realized!
So, make your yearlong goals. But then break them up into smaller segments! No longer look at quarters—that’s old thinking. Let’s look at each month
If you’re worried about achieving a certain set of goals every month, procrastination can no longer be an option. You have to concentrate on every week and every day. You attack critical activities with more urgency. You desperately seek results to meet your goals. You become more committed!
The results of setting smaller goals are amazing. Most businesses that use this method will see major results within three months:
- Set a 1-Month Goal:
Long-term goals are helpful, but they lack urgency. Monthly goals create focus and urgency.
Get focused on exactly what you want to happen over the next month. The goal should represent progress toward your long-term vision. Each goal should be very specific and measurable: income, production, and dollars saved could be a few.
- Build the Plan:
This type of plan is so much more effective than traditional planning because it is more predictable and focused. The key here is less is more. A monthly plan embraces being great at a few things versus inferior at many. For each goal, you need to have actions that will drive the results you want to see happen. The Goal is the “what” and the actions are the “how.” Remember, less is more and keep it to the important few. Determine what 3-4 actions you need to do daily and weekly to achieve your goal.
- Apply the Routine:
Having a goal and a plan is great, but it’s not enough. The key to your success is executing your plan at a high level. If you do the following three things on a weekly basis you can get better.
The Routine:
- Plan your week — Take some time at the beginning of each week to plan. Use your plan to determine what actions are due this week. This is not a glorified to-do list; this should be what must take place this week in order to achieve your goals.
- Keep score — At the end of each week you will want to tally your score. In the end you have greater control over your actions than you do your outcomes. You are scoring your execution, not your results. Keep track of the number of actions completed versus the number due.
- Meet with your team – Did you know that you are seven times more likely to be successful if you meet regularly with your team? You should meet for 15 to 20 minutes each week. In your meeting, report on how you’re doing against your goals and how well you’re executing. Encourage and challenge one another to do better.
That’s all! Three steps. Plan your week, keep score, and meet with your team. Follow these three steps, and you will improve. There is one stipulation: The steps are easy to do, and even easier not to do. So make a commitment to engage and watch what happens.