Are you working in your power?

Creating a powerful work place that is focused and intent on 
success is one of the biggest challenges business owners face. 
What is a powerful workplace? Powerful workplaces are focused, 
strategic, and intentional. Owners and staff are action oriented 
in ways that move the business. They do not waste time on 
activities that are not focused on the success of the company.

Well, how do you do that?  First, is to create an intentional 
strategic plan that is focused on your company's success in all 
areas.  It is Important to include the entire team in the 
planning session.  Take time to hear what is working well, and 
celebrate it.  Then spend time, hearing what isn't working so 
well.  It is important to be open to this step. This isn't a time 
to dwell on what's not right, just to get it out there. There is 
vital information in both what works well and what doesn't work 
well.  That vital information is the wisdom of those closer to 
the day to day workings of the company.  Is it possible that the 
greatest solutions could come from unexpected places?  Most 
definitely.  Staffs on the front line see both the problem and 
have ideas about the solutions.

After you have gathered this vital information look at what gets 
in the way of the team's success or the company's success. Often 
we have created our own road blocks. Sometimes they are in terms 
of systems (that we created), often they are rules (that, we also 
created), and sometimes it is in how we think individually or as 
a team.  This is a hard step, because it takes deep thinking and 
honest reflection.  Teams can be scared of doing this work, but 
it is very important to moving the company forward.

Once you have identified how the team is in "their own way" of 
success you can create a new attitude or approach to success.  We 
recommend doing this in a positive statement that points to an 
exciting future.

Now, you are ready to develop the strategies for moving there. 
Write your strategies in the form of measurable goals.  Things 
you can really count, so that you can track your success.  A goal 
such as "improving the company" is too vague.  Instead write, 
"increase revenue by 25%".  That is measurable. Limit your 
strategic goals to ten.  This enables you and your team to stay 
very focused.  If they come up with 100 find the top ten.

After goals are established you begin working with intention. 
Each day staff and leaders should be working to achieve the 
strategic plan. If your operations involve tasks that aren't 
focused on these strategies evaluate whether outsourcing these 
tasks would improve your results with the increased time to focus 
on implementation. Or are there other ways you improve the focus 
of the team?

Maintain implementation.  After a strategy session, everyone is 
often excited and enthusiastic, but quickly the day to day 
operations interrupt your focus. Schedule at least monthly 
strategy review meetings.  Don't bring other agenda items to the 
meeting.  These meetings are solely for reporting on the 
strategies and scoring them.  Each person that has taken 
responsibility for a strategic objective comes to the meeting 
prepared to report on the results that have occurred.  This 
reporting is in terms of numbers. The strategy was achieved at 
___%, giving you a clear picture of where you are. This group 
accountability is powerful.  It creates a culture of performance, 
a focus on success and achievement.

By operating with focus and intention on strategy you can build 
your business success week by week, month by month.  

Donna Price, President of Compass Rose Consulting, LLC, works 
with business leaders and owners to build their teams and 
businesses to greater levels of success. Join our tele-seminar 
at http://www.businessbuildersintensive.com and receive our 
free report; http://www.compassroseconsulting.com, 
mail@businessbuildersintensive.com 
973-948-7673