How to Achieve a Goal
All businesses dream of being the industry leaders in their chosen enterprise, and it all boils down to setting and achieving goals. Goals are more than just for motivational materials and public relations kits; the goals you set for your company on a regular basis makes all the difference between the best and the rest. Here’s how your company can achieve its business goals.
Aim High
Setting a goal is a lot like shooting practice; you want to know where your company is going, and how you want to get there. Corporate planning and company strategy is where your collective success begins. Here are some important reminders about planning:
Set Your Ultimate Business Goals
“Aim high” means that you should look into the future of your company and set that as a key goal. Instead of making a goal out of moving your architectural office out of the basement, for example, you should make a very clear and specific goal about being the number one architectural firm in the country with clients the world over. While that may seem like a lofty goal, it’s best to keep the glass ceiling as high as possible so that you have nowhere to go but up.
Achieve By Example
Too many business people stack their bookshelves full of inspirational business books thinking they have the secrets of the trade merely by reading them. While it’s important to read, it’s also important to network and build contacts with key figures in the business. That way, you can learn from what they do.
Missions and Visions
The mission and vision statement may be derided in some business circles, but as the owner or chief executive officer of your company, you should use your company’s mission and vision statements to set the goals that your company will take, and what kind of commitment is needed to achieve every one of them.
Shoot Low
One mistake many businesspeople make is that their goals are set as high as they can make them, but they can barely achieve them because they don’t know how. Like shooting, the key is to shoot low; it’s not about underachieving, as it is about realizing your company goals a step at a time:
Get Everyone Involved
No business enterprise is ever the responsibility of just one officer or just one employee. To ensure your company’s success, you need to get everyone in the act. Assign each person responsibilities vital to company operations, so that they can feel part of the whole project. You should also set expectations and commitments from them to give a little extra to make sure your company succeeds.
Prioritize Your Goals
There are short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. All these goals need to be realized for success, but you need to set priorities for them. A short-term goal, like better cafeteria service for example, should be realized immediately so that it will not get in the way of a medium-term goal (like clearing your company out of unnecessary liabilities) and a long-term goal (like being the industry leader in its field).
Make a Timeline
A timeline is the best way for your company to gauge how long it takes to achieve the goal, and how much time you need to do so. While not all goals are time-critical, it can help improve the overall impression of your company if you commit deadlines to all the goals you have.
Setting and achieving goals is what makes businesses thrive and grow. With these tips, you are sure to make it big in your field, and be recognized for setting the bar high for other businesses to achieve their own goals.