Checkup Time

We're about a fourth through the calendar year, and for many companies the same amount of time has passed into their fiscal year. Remember those lofty goals you set just a few months ago. You do, don't you?

How about your staff? Do they remember what their goals are? If you haven't reviewed your corporate goals, you might want to see if you're on track. You will also want to check up on your functional areas to see if their goals are on track.

You might learn that:

• Corporate goals are on track but departmental goals are not. What "X" factor is involved in the organization's success that wasn't known before? Have departments shifted priorities appropriately and haven't documented them? Have you been lucky with a windfall?
• Corporate goals are not on track but departmental goals are. How much of the corporate results are determined by the departmental successes? Were the departments aggressive enough to get the corporate results you need? What "X" factor is missing to create the overall success when team successes abound? Are the departmental goals sufficiently aligned with the corporate goals? Are departmental goals at odds or in competition with each other creating sub-optimization and inefficiencies elsewhere?
• Corporate goals are not on track and neither are departmental goals. What resources are you lacking in crucial areas? How much attention are your team leaders spending on the goals? Are they allocating resources and efforts appropriately? How have business conditions changed that required a shift in priorities which means the goals need to be revisited?

Don't wait till mid-year, or worse at the end of the year, before doing this checkup. Annual health physicals might be alright, but business conditions change and urgent matters have a way of distracting us from important efforts. Too many of us forget our commitments unless we're asked. Ask. Hold yourself and your staff accountable to the results you need.