We are close to the end of a calendar quarter – how has your team performed? With one quarter to go in the calendar year, are you on track with your budgeted revenue? Finishing strong sets you up for the next period of performance. More cash on hand means more fuel for growth. If you want to boost your results for the next quarter and for the year, consider instituting the 13-week race.
The Context
Start with the bigger picture, like the major goals you set for the year. Is there a subset of your annual priorities that is not yet achieved? Do you need to make up for lost time earlier in the year? Is there an opportunity right now to capitalize on a burst of seasonal activity? Is there something specific right now that your team can do to make a difference on your year-end results?
Breaking it down
For some brain types, and in busy work settings, a quarter seems like forever. Sometimes a quarterly target is perceived as constantly rolling forward with no impending deadline. Moreover, daily crises leap into the foreground and pull focus away from the bigger goal.
So take that quarterly priority, set a specific target date, and then set a series of 13 weekly milestones. You divide the goal into 13 action steps, and measure them weekly. When you use this method, no individual piece is too big, and you will know immediately whether the game plan needs to be modified along the way. The 13-week race prevents the "oh no - there's no way we'll make this" surprise two days before deadline.
Engaging team participation
If you have been operating under the assumption that your plan should be super secret stuff known only to your senior leaders, think again. Who do you think is going to help you achieve it?
- Talk about it with your team. Tell them why it’s important. Tell them again. And again. You will probably feel like you’re repeating yourself, and you are, but that’s OK. It will take 5-6 repetitions for the info to reliably sink in.
- Make it visual. Post a graph on the wall so everyone can see the team’s progress. You wouldn’t get excited about the football game if they didn’t keep score, and same goes for your team at work. Pictures communicate more effectively than numbers, so arrange your data in a chart. For example, if your “must do” number is 500 units per day, make that level a line across your chart. Then mark where the actual performance is each day relative to the 500 level. If your aggregate number is most important, fill a bucket with ping-pong balls as you accumulate wins, or draw levels on a thermometer – stretch your creative muscles.
- Develop a theme if you really want to go big. Make it memorable, and make it fun. Heck, dress in costumes and do a skit at an all-hands meeting! Decorate your workplace along the theme lines. And remember to celebrate success – cheer for the big win at the end, but also celebrate the milestone victories to maintain momentum along the way.
Remember the story about the two stone cutters? One saw his job simply as cutting stone, but the other saw himself contributing to the building of a cathedral. The second stone cutter found a sense of purpose in the big picture that sustained him. These 13-week races help your team members rise above the mindset of the first stone cutter “I’m just a _______ doing ______” and into the mindset of cathedral builders. You can help them become more fully committed partners in your company’s success.
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