By: Shari Dalton
If you ask most coaches, they’ll tell you that at the beginning of the season, their primary goal is to “win championships.” It sounds simple, but great coaches know that in order to do that, they’ve got to work diligently with their teams in the pre-season, at practices, and even during the games to ensure that each and every member is operating at peak performance.
Ask an owner of staffing agency what their annual goal is, and most will tell you the same thing. The goal at the beginning of every year is growth, to be the best, to win. One key differentiator between those agencies you see at the top of the list every year and the others, is leadership. They’ve got great leaders and great leaders don’t just talk about growth, they know exactly how much they want to grow by and what it’s going to take to get there.
Like coaches, great leaders know that in order to “win big”, it take practice, dedication, consistency, and a great team. They set a goal for the year, but they also put a plan in place for how to get there. They’ve got goals set throughout the year and they know that it requires each member of the team operating at peak performance. Every member has a role to play in its success over the course of the next 365 days.
Here are some tips on gearing up your team to win a championship in 2019:
Set a big goal for 2019. Not so big that it is unattainable, but not easy enough to hit in the 2nd quarter either. Think about what you really want to accomplish next year. Think about your overall company vision and mission and how that ties into your goal. Make sure that your goal is very specific. For example, “I want to grow” is not specific enough. Instead shoot for, “I want to grow by 100 travelers on assignment in 2019,” or “I want to increase the size of the company by 30%”.
Create a road map for getting there. If your goal is to grow by 100 travelers on assignment in 2019, figure out what it’s going to take to do that. Will you need to hire more recruiters? Gain new accounts? Invest in marketing?
Set micro-goals. This piece is critical! Start by breaking it down per quarter. Using our example of increasing in size by 100 travelers on assignment over the year, it would make sense to break that down to a goal of 25 per quarter. Then per month, 8-9 new travelers. Continue breaking down the goal until it relates to a weekly or daily micro-goal.
Clearly communicate the plan to the team. Far too often, this step gets skipped. Goals shouldn’t be kept in closed door management meetings and then laid on the backs and shoulders of your sales force to meet. Share the big goal, share the micro-goals, and explain the important role each member plays in helping the company get there! Without them, you’ll have a tough time getting anywhere!
Celebrate the wins! Make sure you’re celebrating each month and quarter along the way. Recognize that you may fall short here and there and be prepared to reinvigorate the team, not kick them while they are down. If they are excited and happy, they’ll work hard to support the goals!
Whether you’re running a multi-million dollar agency or leading a small team of recruiters, goals setting is critical. As a leader, it should be your mission to clearly communicate the goals of your organization and rally the team to get to the finish line! Vince Lombardi once said, “We win our games in practice. We learn and follow the fundamentals better than anyone.” How are you building your practice plan? Are you set to win the championship in 2019?
