It’s that time again – yes the New Year has arrived which means it’s time to get out that pen and paper and write up a fresh list of goals and ambitions.
Are making changes and improvements to the way your business is run on that list? If so, good on you. It’s never a bad idea to make improvements and implement new processes, but getting everyone on board can be a challenge and can be the difference between your ideas becoming a success, or being a complete a failure.
So that you and your team are on the same page, here are some tips to help you get the year off to a running start and keep up the pace throughout the year.
Write it down
“The simple act of writing down your resolution will make it far more likely to stick,” says Sir Richard Branson.
It may seem far too obvious to actually work, but writing it down will hold you accountable and will give employees a clear understanding of what is expected or what you want to achieve. Let’s be honest if it comes from Richard Branson it has to have some relevance.
Get your team emotionally invested
It’s easy as the employer or the owner to be emotionally invested in the changes for your business but changes won’t happen unless your employees feel the same.
In an article written by Strategy+Business, they say “if you are asking people to adapt to a new reality, they need to understand the emotional case for change so they can feel truly committed to the transformation”.
How will the change affect them personally and in a business sense and what role do they play in the new process.
Making your employees feel valued along the way will keep them invested throughout the whole process and in turn the changes you’ve put in place will be maintained.
Be a role model
Making sure your staff are onboard is one thing, making sure you stay motivated and inspired is another.
Train up your leadership team so they are competent with the new changes and fully understand the logic behind it. From there you can motivate each other and offer support to employees who are struggling to come to terms with the new way of doing things.
If you and your leadership team can not offer that guidance and knowledge the new changes will quickly unravel.
Don’t beat yourself up
Never lose sight of what you have set to achieve. Keep a record of small achievements along the way and put it up for all to see.
Progress will keep your morale up and will remind you that the ultimate targets are achievable.
There will be hiccups along the way, that’s inevitable, it’s important to smile through them and take them on-board as a lesson. Don’t stop striving.
Make it fun and celebrate
Why would you even consider making changes if you weren’t passionate about it?
Going back to some advice from Richard Branson, it is important that your employees enjoy their work environment. “If people feel trapped and stuck in their job, performance will suffer.” Set fun challenges to achieve the goals you have set in place.
Get your team involved in the brainstorming processes, let them tell you how they think they can achieve the goals, you might learn something from them. If your colleagues are kept happy, your business will strive.
Celebrate every small success. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown staff party every time you achieve something but it’s important you give yourself and your staff credit for the work they’ve put in to make the changes you’ve set a reality.
By Natalia Rietveld
Getting off to a Positive Start
