Is Everyone In Your Organization Running the Same Race?

Are you tired of developing well-conceived strategic plans only to see them run out of steam long before you reach the finish line?  It could be because people in your organization are all running different races.

Too often, companies invest a lot of time and energy in creating their strategic plan, but then make almost no effort to help people understand it, buy into it, and support it.  To ensure that everyone in the organization runs the same race, we need to inform, inspire and engage people -– not just once when the plan is introduced, but continually throughout the year.

To inform employees:

Get vocal.

During the initial stages of informing, verbal communication works best.  As much as possible, communicate the why, what, and how of your plan in face-to-face meetings.  If you have a geographically dispersed workforce, try to meet directly with the largest groups and then conduct audio or video conferences to connect with others.  Or, use webinars or other technologies that simulate face-to-face interactions.

Follow up with visuals.

Humans are visual creatures, and having something visual in front of us provides a powerful tool for staying focused. Construct a one-page visual that notes the key elements of your strategic plan, including the destination points.  Also, write down your core values and behaviors, so that people have visual reminders of what is expected of them from a behavioral standpoint.

Update as you go along.

When changes occur that impact goals, measures, and how you will get things done, communicate again.  Let people know how client interactions will be handled, what types of discussions should happen with other employees, and what support (people, technology, coaching) will be provided.  Identify who is responsible for what, and provide information on who to go to with questions, ideas, or concerns. Don't worry about distracting employees with too much information. I have yet to see an organization over-communicate about its goals.

Study after study confirms that productivity and employee commitment reach their highest when people are kept fully and regularly informed.  The more you communicate, the better your return on investment.

To kick the inspiration meter up several notches:

Focus on the aspirational components of your goal. Let employees know why you believe in what the company does and why you find the destination so compelling.  Articulate how the destination reflects the unique characteristics the company has to offer and how it benefits everyone who works for it.  Ask people why they want to go there with you and what ideas they have for getting there.

Share your passion.

Let your passion shine through! Talk about what the goals mean to you personally and what excites you about achieving them.  Solicit similar input from others and share it via emails, the company intranet, or in quarterly staff meetings.  The more you get people talking about what the goals mean to them individually, the more likely you are to attain buy-in and commitment.

Show people how they are making a difference.

Share customer feedback about how your company is making a difference.  If possible, create a video of customer interviews and share it with all employees.  Invite a customer to speak at a company meeting.  Present samples of written customer testimonials.  Make it real by sharing stories and information about the individuals affected.

Celebrate milestones.

When individuals or teams achieve interim goals, take the time to recognize those involved.  Send thank you notes to employees.  Host a celebration event that brings people together in a fun way.  Use music, visuals, handouts and give-aways to maintain momentum and enthusiasm.

Regularly assess your communications efforts.

From time to time, ask yourself, "Am I telling employees everything they need to know?  Am I honest and forthright when presenting negative news?  Are my communications strictly one-way or do I give people a chance to voice their opinions?  When others talk, do I really listen?  Are my messages inspirational and compelling?"

Strive for a balance of focus.

Your role as a leader or manager is to ensure a balance of focus between day-to-day tasks and long-term achievements.  Keeping the destination and other components of your strategic framework on everyone's radar screen will go a long way towards maintaining the inspiration needed to achieve your goals.

There will be days when inspiring employees seems like just another task on your already lengthy to-do list.  However, few tasks are as important as this one, even though it does not always appear as urgent.

To engage your people in seeing the plan through to completion:

Clearly define what winning looks like.

Nothing is more important than creating a picture of what winning looks like for your organization, your team and yourself.  Everything flows from this critical starting point.

Measure what matters AND what people can relate to.

Many strategic plans focus solely on financial metrics.  However, most employees don't connect day to day with metrics like operating margins, net profit, and EBITDA.  In addition to these numbers, track and measure things like improving customer satisfaction retention, speeding up delivery times, reducing scrap, developing a new product or service -- just about anything that ties directly to the tasks and activities people perform on a daily basis.

Set your employees up for success.

This sounds obvious, but it's amazing how many organizations neglect this key point. To set your people up for success, make sure they have:

• Clarity on what they are expected to produce/accomplish
• The appropriate equipment and resources (tools, money, people, etc.)
• The information needed to master their position
• The skills, knowledge and aptitudes to get the job done
• A good fit between their personality/style and how you expect them to get the job done
• The internal motivation, desire and drive to complete the task
• Training/coaching to leverage strengths, minimize or eliminate deficiencies and enhance professional development

Give plenty of feedback and recognition.

To ensure this activity doesn't get lost in the shuffle, schedule monthly one-to-ones with your direct reports.  These meetings should cover the employee's progress toward the goals, any performance issues they may be experiencing, identification of additional information, support or resources they need to get the job done, and any issues they need to bring up with you.  And don't forget plenty of "thank you's" for a job well done.

Build an atmosphere of trust.

To build trust, define the organizational values that determine how you will behave with each other, and then live those values on a daily basis.  Communicate constantly with employees, not just about the decisions being made but why they are being made.  Encourage people to express their ideas and opinions, and listen when they do.  Hold people accountable for adhering to the organizational values and for performing at a high level.

Companies that get the most out of their people don't take employee engagement for granted. They plan it, monitor it, and manage it so that people feel connected to and aligned with the company's vision of winning.  When you get everyone in the organization running in the same direction with passion and purpose, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish!