By the time you’re reading this, your company has completed its strategic planning — or, at least, planning is in discussion — and objectives are being defined for 2020. Business goals typically revolve around new opportunities, growth, revenue and profit. Through evaluation of the past year’s results, new tactics are identified to achieve the outlined goals. By defining a roadmap for 2020, the company is on its way to a great year, and hopefully management will share the strategy company-wide for all to see. Take time to review and understand the vision and plan.
Where do you fit in the corporate 2020 goals and how do these company objectives align with your own ideas? What are your personal objectives? Defining personal goals requires self-awareness and reflection, something many people aren’t comfortable with and prefer not to do. Be strong and just do it. Recognizing your desires is the first step to making them happen.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself in order to get headed in the right direction. Answer each of these questions with the first answer that comes to mind. We are all individuals and our personal answers will be unique. Write them down and be honest. There are no “right” responses; the answers belong to you alone. Don’t procrastinate, do the exercise privately and keep your notes to yourself. I have been doing a similar exercise for 20 years and it’s interesting (and insightful) to look back at my responses of years past.
- What am I good at?
- What do I enjoy doing?
- What stresses me out?
- What is important to me in my life?
- What is one thing I want to accomplish in 2020?
- What is my ideal job at my company?
Looking at your answers, do you see a couple of personal goals? Perhaps you like working with others to solve problems, but being in charge of the task is stressful. Does it make sense to step up and join a team with a strong leader, and contribute your insights and ideas?
Or, do you enjoy crunching numbers, managing spreadsheets and analyzing data, but don’t like presenting the information at meetings. Step up to be the keeper of data and lead the analysis, but share the results with someone who is good at presentations.
Or, are you currently an accomplished technician that loves meeting new people and sharing the many ways your company’s services can protect and enhance their lives? Is it time to step out of doing the installation and move into sales?
Combining your experience and knowledge with your congenial personality is a great recipe for success.
Define two or three personal goals that may be a stretch but are still achievable. Be specific and attach a measurement to each goal to realize when you’ve achieved it. How about identifying three projects at work you would like to be involved in and measure meeting this goal by participating in at least one. As a technician, consider upselling customers on additional personal safety products and services with five add-on sales per month, $250 minimum for each, for three months; and then increase it to eight sales per month.
The idea is to do more things you are good at and enjoy. You’ll be happier, have fun working towards attainable goals and reap the rewards of your efforts.
Last, but not least, set up someone as your support and accountability partner. Share your goals and expectations, and have them hold you responsible for your actions and making things happen.
You can do this! Let me know what your goals are and I will be happy to help keep you on track.
