Gary’s Reasons to Set Short Term Goals! “OK, now what do I do?” It was the beginning of the day and I should have been more focused but here I was, staring off into space and trying to figure out my next step. My desk was a mess. I had documents everywhere. Sticky notes were hanging on my computer monitor, the last of my breakfast was occupying the right corner and the left corner had an area that looked like the secret place that old office supplies went to die. The solution to my dilemma was mere seconds away but let’s move on and we’ll come back to that in a minute. In today’s small business world, the competition for the business owner’s time is immense. If it’s not customers or employees needing attention, it’s billing or payroll or the crisis of the moment. Notice that nowhere on that list did I ever mention thinking or planning. Nope, there’s no time for any of that thinkin’ stuff. Too much work to do. So what is the answer to this dilemma? Well, first of all, and this sounds simplistic, you have to make time to think. You have to force yourself to create a long-term plan that guides your everyday activities. As you read this, you are probably thinking “Duh, Gary, I know that! I created my plan before I even started my business. All my long term goals are already in place.” To which I reply, “oh yeah, your mother….”, oh wait, that’s a different conversation….nevermind. Let’s try again. To which I reply, “Yes, but how long ago was that plan devised? The marketplace continually changes and your long term strategies need to change with it. I’m not sure I ever met a business owner who set his plan and goals before starting his business and then stuck with them all the way through to success. The world is too dynamic and changes are always in force that you cannot reasonably predict.” So, re-think your goals and your plan now and then. Go to a quiet place, nurse a beer or a latte and take stock of your world. In my business, I write up a “Yearly Goals and Strategies Summary” and then share it with my Management team. I’ll spend more time on that in a future column but for now, suffice it to say that creating yearly plans and goals helps me to keep on track. These are more like “mid term goals” helping me to focus during the year. Within those goals, I divide them up and aim for Quarterly progress on each one. By now, if you’re still reading, I feel confident that you are not thinking “Wow, this is genius at work before my very eyes!” Of course, it is not genius. It’s basic. It’s Business 101. But prove it to yourself. Ask 10 business owners if they have a Yearly Goals Statement and you’ll get nine blank stares. Their answer is “I can barely do the work I have in my 12 hour day! You expect me to “think” too?” And my answer is “Yup, I do.” SmallBiz Rule #5: Don’t lose sight of what your job is. You are the leader and you must lead. You must have a plan and follow it. Not just in theory, but in your everyday activities. Now, let’s return to the befuddled me, sitting at my desk and trying to figure out what to do next. It’s not like I can’t think of anything. The problem is not too few things to do; it’s too many. And, too many to choose from. That’s when I do the same thing I have done every day for the last 30 years. I check my weekly list. Every Monday morning, I take a yellow letter-size notepad and list 20 to 25 projects that have to be completed by Friday. Many are mundane: Prepare and send payroll, pay bills, create a new ad flyer, etc. Some are more strategic: Meet with the banker, create a new bonus program, research the market for that new service. I look over my full list and, inevitably, one project jumps out at me as being the most urgent. If nothing is really time-sensitive or urgent, then it’s a good time to focus on one of the more strategic projects. And guess what. That’s what’s happening right now. I’ve got a few hours where nothing is pressing so I have time to write this column. Using my list for the rest of the day and week, keeps me focused and helps me take the baby steps that build up and move me closer to achieving my mid-term goals. As I reach my mid-term goals, I get closer to my long-term goals and that’s when it all starts to gel. Seeing your plan come together is an incredible feeling. Being the architect of that plan, the champion of it and the impetus behind it when it succeeds is a real rush! Small Business, I love it! Gary Brose has owned over a dozen small businesses in a 30 year entrepreneurial career and is now a business consultant and paid speaker. For more information, visit www.smallbizsherpa.com or email him at Gary@smallbizsherpa.com