If you’re feeling stuck or restless, it might be that you’ve lost sight of your goals.I’ve spoken with many leaders who admit that at times they have become so consumed by the business, they have lost their focus on business or personal goals. They’re just trying to get through the day.
In your business, goals should help direct daily activities. In times of change, goals may shift. That’s normal.
Do your team a favor by talking about goals often. It’s easy for members to "report in" on activity. Many a meeting can be filled with useless updates. Avoid those kinds of meetings.
Instead challenge your team members to report on progress toward a specific goal. Ask what step or concrete action they will take in a given time period to move closer to the goal.
Try phrases like these…
* What will you do this week to help us accomplish _____________?
* What action will you take to make sure we reach ___________ by end of the month?
* What’s something specific you can do to help us achieve ____________ more quickly?
When people complain about how "busy" they are, test to make sure their activities are supporting specific goals. Confirm that they truly understand the importance of the goals, especially if they were not involved in the process of establishing the goals in the first place.
As a leader, part of your role is to clarify the goal…often.