It’s hard to believe we are already in the 4th quarter of 2013. Don’t let the next month slip away in a hectic blur as you hustle to complete goals and reach targets. Instead, take a step back, evaluate your organization, and make sure 2013 comes to a successful end.
Review Your Key Objectives for 2013.
Pull out the list of key objectives you set for this year. Planning isn’t an annual thing that should only be done at the end of the year. More than likely your plans were based on assumptions of your customers, competitors, business, and the economy. Are these assumptions still valid? Have they affected how you’re doing business? Hopefully you’ve kept close watch on these objectives, assessing goals and making changes based on the nature of the business. Once you’ve made comparisons and figured out the current state of your business, decide if making revisions to your plan can now help you reach your year-end goals.
Focus on Nearly Accomplished Goals.
After reviewing your key objectives, you’ll be able to identify great successes, a few goals that you’re close to achieving, and some that are going to have to wait until next year. Don’t fret over the goals that are impossible to reach in the next three months. Instead, choose a few of the nearly accomplished objectives and come up with an action plan to complete those. Call a meeting with necessary employees and delegate the steps that need to be taken to take these objectives from “nearly there” to “over the finish-line”.
Make Good on Commitments.
Don’t let your credibility as a business leader falter by not keeping promises you made this year. Did you tell HR that you’d help revise the vacation policy? Did you promise the IT department that you’d authorize the purchase of new equipment? Check in with direct reports and make sure you’ve followed through on the things you’ve committed to.
Take Care of Things that Need to be Fixed.
By the end of Q3 you should be able to identify the biggest challenges your organization has faced in 2013. Whether it is forgotten initiatives, poor processes, impractical goals, or inadequate staffing, spend some time evaluating how to fix these barriers. If a particular process is slowing the growth of your business, book a session to brainstorm and revise the process. Or if the process is completely unnecessary, weed it out. Q4 is the best time to clean up things that aren’t working. You’ll be able to end the year feeling confident that you’ve disassembled barriers and can head into the new year with a clean slate.
If you find your organization needing a few extra professionals to put in the hours necessary to complete your final 2013 goals, consider hiring temporary help. For over 25 years, Area Temps has been a staffing partner for both employers and job seekers in the Greater Cleveland area and can deliver the quality employees you need to end the year on the right note. Contact us today to talk about customized staffing solutions for your company.
