Back to School and Back to Work

September 5, 2019

ISSN# 1545-2646

Back to School and Back to Work

The traditional Labor Day Weekend marking the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year is now behind us.  Many celebrations took place across the country while still others were navigating the challenges of hurricane Dorian.  For those not so fortunate to have been in the wrath of the storms path, we pray for their quick recovery.

In business this transition point is an opportunity to refocus on the remaining months of 2019.  Sooner than you think, you will experience the end of the calendar year. It will be upon us quickly.  These remaining 4 months need to be the strength of your finishing this years race while also setting the strategies for 2020.

You should be engaging your leadership team to identify those business elements which can have a direct positive impact on the results for 2019.  At the same time, they need to learn from what went well this year and begin to capitalize on those new strengths as they forecast the direction for 2020.  We also learn a few things that did not go as planned.  These too must be taken into consideration.  You will need to better understand what took place to lessen the outcome desired from the steps taken to execute the tasks at hand.

For 2020, don’t start out with 10 major strategies to accomplish because you won’t get them done.  Each strategy evolves into many sub-projects which all of them end up trying to extract resources from the company which in many cases cannot support.  Identify just 3 or 4 major strategies for 2020.  Possibly reserve a couple more should the first ones get completed or will be well on track by mid calendar year 2020.  Understand this short list of critical strategies in exacting detail.  Dig into them like never before.  Be sure you recognize the resource demands and limits your business may have which in effect limits the outcome of the strategy.  Map out the details and delegate not just the responsibility but the accountability.  Make sure the measurement and check in points are well articulated so you can have early warning signs to take corrective action should that be needed.  Work from a position of strength rather than a position of reaction. Much like the plan for the hurricane, they knew it was coming and all the authorities gave directions to prepare, evacuate etc.  You may not have the same opportunity to know well in advance of the impending storm, but you can have a preparedness attitude about dealing with changes to your company, organization, resources and cleints.

If you have not already started to narrow in on the end results for 2019 then get to that first.  Second, start to get the 2020 plan in order.  The 2020 direction should be well defined no later than the end of November.  More ideally the end of October so you can place all of your focus and energy on closing out 2019 with great results.  A 3 month distraction between completing one year and planning the next only leads to more challenges next year.  Make a commitment to yourself this week and put some deadlines on the remaining focus for 2019 and the core strategies for 2020.

Need a “Promise Guide” to assist you in the navigation of the strategies?  Call JKL Associates at (313) 527-7945 in Michigan or (407) 984-7246 in Florida.

Questions or comments – email us at partners@jklassociates.com or call our Offices – MI at (313) 527-7945 FL at (407) 984-7246

 

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 Copyright – JKL Associates 2019

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