It’s Monday morning. How do you know you are going to make progress this week? Here are four action items that will ensure you start your week with activities that will move things forward.
1. Reiterate the Message
You might be tempted to believe that you need to change your message. You might think that you need to continually come up with something new, but you don’t. Changing the message only confuses people as to what is really important. When your message provides the vision, the mission, and the meaning you need to continually reiterate that message.
Change the stories. Change the words. But stay on message.
2. Share Successes Widely
Find examples of people living the values in your mission. Find examples of where what you are doing creates meaning, where it’s bigger than just “the job.” Find the success stories and share them widely so that everyone understands what great looks like. This is how you help them find meaning in their work, and it’s how you inspire them with the confidence to be proactive in making a difference.
Share successes. Praise people publicly. Provide examples of people who have found meaning in what they do.
3. Verify Progress Continues
If you want your initiatives to stick, you have to verify that progress is being made. Talk to the leaders in your organization to make sure that they are moving things forward, that they have what they need, and remind them that you are there to provide the support and resources they need.
When you lose interest in verifying that progress is being made, others will follow you down the path of apathy.
4. Troubleshoot Issues
If you want to know where the trouble spots are in moving your organization forward, talk to the people responsible for the day-to-day operations. Ask them to describe the challenges they face. Ask them what they would need to change to produce better results. First, work to understand their issues and challenges, and then work to give them the help they need.
If you want to know where the roadblocks and bottlenecks are, go and see for yourself. You’ll quickly find the issues. Next week, make sure something has been done.
Questions
Are you always on message? Do you move from idea to idea without getting your priorities over the line?
How many success stories are you prepared to share this week? Where are people getting it right?
Are you verifying that progress is being made and proving your commitment to your vision?
Where are the trouble spots? Have you seen them yourself? What are you waiting for?
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