As a new year begins, it brings opportunities to reflect on the past year and look towards the future. Business owners must set goals and strive to better themselves and their companies to stay relevant. It’s easy to compile a list of things you’d like to see accomplished over the next twelve months, but what does it take to make your objectives a reality?

I’ve found the key to success lies in the process surrounding your goals. I’m going to talk about a few of the important lessons I’ve learned while growing multiple private eye care practices.  

Don’t Expect the Impossible. The first step to setting attainable goals is to be realistic about your expectations. What do you honestly think you can achieve in the next year? It’s important to push your limits, but don’t aim so high that you set yourself up for failure. Once you’ve decided on aspirations that are within reach, the next step is to check up on your business’s foundation.

Strength to the Core. When was the last time you made sure your values, your policies and procedures, and your staff’s collective actions were in alignment with your company’s mission. The mission and core values of a business (contrary to the beliefs of many) are not things you can decide upon when opening a business and never think about again. 

 These are the core elements of your company and should be incorporated into everything you do. Employees should be trained on what beliefs and actions align with the company’s mission and why these values are important to the work they do. Think about it﹘ if your yearly goals are aligned with your mission, then your staff (the people who will do most of the work to achieve said goals) must have a thorough understanding of that mission and act accordingly. 

Understanding Your Role. As I stated, your employees will ultimately do the legwork to reach your yearly objectives, so it’s important to include them in the process in an immersive way. It’s imperative that your workforce know the company’s goals for the year, as well as what role their everyday tasks play in reaching them. Otherwise, objectives may feel too far removed from an employee’s responsibilities for them to understand what significance their position plays in the company’s success. 

Review and Revise Along the Way. At my practices, we set goals and review actionable steps with the staff. All employees should have a laminated copy of these goals on their person at all times, ensuring that our objectives aren’t simply forgotten over time. We have company-wide meetings outside the office multiple times over the course of the year. These are for sharing our progress with the rest of the company and revising our approach if necessary.

I’ve found that the value of transparent leadership and company-wide collaboration can’t be overstated. When your staff feel that they are an integral part of the process, they will inevitably be more invested in the success of your business