You Must Create Focus

Are you in the situation where you are accountable for?

  • Execution of task work

  • Reporting progress internally & externally

  • Customer relationships

  • Controlling scope

  • Aiding sales, business development, and marketing team efforts

  • Quality delivery of others’ work

  • Holding your team accountable to performance expectations

  • Ensuring costs are under control

  • Working on the 5 new initiatives that are priority this month

“Oh, I almost forgot! Ensure these are paid and the next round of invoices are completed this week”.

If everything is important, nothing is prioritized, and you most probably are going nowhere fast.

You must create focus for the team, but you have no idea what the priorities should be for yourself! There is so much going on right now and your mind is racing constantly, how can you possibly find time to slow down and prioritize? The priority will change tomorrow when the next employee resigns anyway!

I can assure you that if you feel like this, your team is probably upset and concerned with the business’ direction.

A lot of us have been there. It takes time to be able to compose yourself, regroup your thoughts, and whiteboard the major issues you are dealing with. It’s tempting to say “I’m too busy” but if you don’t make this critical step, it’s unlikely it will get any better.

If you’re the leader and you’re caught in this downward spiral for more than a couple of months, then you have major issues that need to be addressed, NOW.

Do you have the following components and/or understanding of your business right now?

  • Major risks - strategy, financial/assets, Operational (people/resources), and innovation

  • Risk treatment plan & mitigating controls

  • Project Management Controls (scope, schedule, cost, quality)

  • Employee metrics & execution KPI’s (team health, performance, competence etc.)

  • Clearly defined responsibilities & team structure

  • Sales pipeline & strategic growth plan

  • A well-defined business strategy & a team that is aligned with it in everything that they do

Just starting on a couple of the above items will subconsciously begin to transform the team into a more intentional and strategic mindset. This is the first step to a higher performing operation, and if you’ve made that step, congratulations! The culture change will follow over time with consistent messaging.

Wouldn’t it be great if your team was able to solve some of these problems for you?

Modus Operations has a wealth of experience in helping teams get to this level and beyond; allowing leaders to focus on the future. Please reach out to us at contact@modusoperationsllc.com to find out more about our process.

 

What mode are you operating in?