When we kick off a new year, we often go through the classic personal ritual of setting resolutions, creating goals and hitting the “do-over’ button. It serves as the perfect time to take a deep breath, pause and reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re heading.
But let’s face it, we often struggle to stick to them. Did you know that despite 45% of people setting resolutions, only 8% of people consistently meet them? Surprising, right? Well, here’s a similar scenario that might resonate with you: strategic plan execution for your business.
In my experience working with hundreds of organizations, I’ve noticed a common trend: great plans, poor execution. Many businesses excel at planning but struggle to follow through. This lack of consistent execution leads to frustration, high turnover, and a host of other issues.
That’s why this year, one of my personal goals is to mentor a thousand business owners. And at the heart of our time together lies a simple mantra: “structure equals freedom.” Today’s post isn’t about creating a strategic plan, but rather is focused on execution tips that start with…
Structure = Freedom. But what does that really mean?
It means embracing the Three Cs: Checklists, Consistency, and Critical Conversations:
- Checklists: Identify tasks that are repetitious and require consistency (hiring, customer service, answering the phone,) so that you can free up time.
- Consistency: Once the checklists have been made, they must be used by everyone. Yes, it’ll take time – but you have to stick with it because the minute you make an exception for one person is the minute your structure starts to crumble.
- Critical Conversations: Stop avoiding the difficult situations and learn to deal with them head on. Create a culture of accountability and become an expert at engaging your team’s hearts and minds.
Consulting firm DDI World shares 3 best practices to level up your conversations at work:
- Know yourself: during critical conversations, everyone brings their knowledge, personality, experience, preferences and biases – which can influence the outcome and approach. Understanding yourself can improve your ability to navigate the conversation.
- Adapt your approach: adapt your language based on who you’re speaking to in order to reach a positive outcome.
- Choose the right time: this way you can be fully present. Schedule one-on-one time and set expectations about what will be discussed, so people aren’t caught off guard.
We all need both structure and freedom; you can’t have one without the other.
Structure without freedom is a workplace that feels like a prison. On the other hand, freedom without structure is pure chaos. It’s all about finding the balance.
A well-defined structure provides clarity and consistency; a good example of this is our eleven retail stores.
We fought to build a shared structure around goals, processes, customer service and safety – to name a few – which is supposed by checklists, weekly scorecards, and a culture of accountability with constant coaching.
I’m not going to lie; it wasn’t easy. People hated it at first but today, they are happier because they know what’s expected of them AND each store has the freedom to operate with autonomy and uniqueness. This is allowing us to thrive, achieve consistency, and pay out bonuses!
At the end of the day, structure provides clarity and consistency, while freedom allows for autonomy and creativity. It’s a delicate dance, but when done right, it can lead to happier teams and thriving businesses.
Share your experiences on the topic so that we can grow together and remember to Soar, don’t settle!