***Powerful Strategies Build Results

Are you working in your power?

Creating a powerful work place that is focused and intent on success is one of the biggest challenges business owners face. What is a powerful workplace? Powerful workplaces are focused, strategic, and intentional. Owners and staff are action oriented in ways that move the business. They do not waste time on activities that are not focused on the success of the company.

Well, how do you do that?

First, is to create an intentional strategic plan that is focused on your company's success in all areas. It is important to include the entire team in the planning session. Take time to hear what is working well, and celebrate it. Then spend time, hearing what isn't working so well. It is important to be open to this step. This isn't a time to dwell on what's not right, just to get it out there. There is vital information in both what works well and what doesn't work well. That vital information is the wisdom of those closer to the day to day workings of the company. Is it possible that the greatest solutions could come from unexpected places? Most definitely! Staffs on the front line see both the problem and have ideas about the solutions.

After you have gathered this vital information look at what gets in the way of the team's success or the company's success. Often we have created our own road blocks. Sometimes they are in terms of systems (that we created), often they are rules (that, we also created), and sometimes it is in how we think individually or as a team. This is a hard step, because it takes deep thinking and honest reflection. Teams can be scared of doing this work, but it is very important to moving the company forward.

Once you have identified how the team is in "their own way" of success you can create a new attitude or approach to success. We recommend doing this in a positive statement that points to an exciting future.

Now, you are ready to develop the strategies for moving there. Write your strategies in the form of measurable goals. Things you can really count, so that you can track your success. A goal such as "improving the company" is too vague. Instead write, "increase revenue by 25%". That is measurable. Limit your strategic goals to ten. This enables you and your team to stay very focused. If they come up with 100 find the top ten.

After goals are established you begin working with intention. Each day staff and leaders should be working to achieve the strategic plan. If your operations involve tasks that aren't focused on these strategies evaluate whether outsourcing these tasks would improve your results with the increased time to focus on implementation. Or are there other ways you improve the focus of the team?

Maintain implementation. After a strategy session, everyone is often excited and enthusiastic, but quickly the day to day operations interrupt your focus. Schedule, at least monthly strategy review meetings. Don't bring other agenda items to the meeting. These meetings are solely for reporting on the strategies and scoring them. Each person that has taken responsibility for a strategic objective comes to the meeting prepared to report on the results that have occurred. This reporting is in terms of numbers. The strategy was achieved at ___%, giving you a clear picture of where you are. This group accountability is powerful. It creates a culture of performance, a focus on success and achievement.

By operating with focus and intention on strategy you can build your business success week by week, month by month.