Make Your Goal Despite Holiday Distraction
Most of us can’t afford to throw up our hands with a “there’s always next year.”
Here’s how to push for productivity without spoiling all the fun.
Remember the Quote of the Week? It’s important to make your expectations clear.
If you talk about holiday traditions, decorate office space, plan an office party and say nothing more - the holidays are going to stay front and center – productivity in the background. To prevent this, find extra ways to remind and reinforce people about business goals for the month.
Here are some ways to do this.
1. At each staff meeting, re-state goals for the month, whether they are goals for revenue or billable hours or the number of customers you must service or certain projects to complete. If it hasn’t been done, decide on some measurable targets for the month. Share these and the reason for their importance with your team.
2. Carry the attention between staff meetings by posting progress on a wall. In a prominent place. You could use a white board or an easel. Or poster board. It could be in table format. Or a graph. Or on a “United Way style thermometer”. But it doesn’t have to be a thermometer. Why not an icicle or a star? It doesn’t have to be beautiful or fancy. It just needs to be there. And you need to pay attention to it because people pay attention to whatever gets the boss’ attention.
3. Offer a special December bonus to each person who contributes at a certain level. Tie it in to one of those measurables determined in #1.
You might offer a prize to the salesperson who brings in three new accounts this month; or to each person who brings in $1,000 of account receivables; or to each person who makes his billable hours goal. Once again – tie it back in to the measurables in #1.
It could be cash or it could be an afternoon off for holiday shopping or it could be a candy cane. Whatever works for your budget. Just announce it in a fun way. Track and announce progress frequently. And award the prize immediately and with flair.
copyright 2009 – Business Class Inc
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