As businesses prepare to start across their Q2 workstreams, you might find yourself wondering whether you need to rewrite your 2023 goals given all that’s happened over the past few months. All business leaders must be able to pivot to meet the demands of the present day, but you don’t want to lose sight of those core milestones you identified at the beginning of the year. Here’s several tips to help you and your business keep up the momentum this Q2.
Don’t lose sight of your annual goals
Annual goals are essential to set, as they provide a grand vision of your professional life. However, they can be too big and ambitious to know where to start, making it challenging to measure your progress accurately. This is where quarterly goals come in. Breaking down your annual goals into smaller, shorter goals provides a roadmap for action. Quarterly goals allow you to focus on a limited range of work and change course if priorities shift, without spending too much time down an obsolete path.
Assess and iterate quarterly
Setting quarterly goals also gives you a great excuse to reassess the small steps you are planning to take to achieve your annual goals. Quarterly goals are a good middle ground between ambitious and achievable, allowing employees enough time to accomplish something meaningful, but not so much time that they procrastinate. They also give employees a great excuse to get in front of their bosses, report on substantial progress, and remind them of any financial commitments attached to that progress.
Set clear expectations with your team
As an employer, it’s important to sit down with your team and work out their quarterly goals. This will give them a clear understanding of their current position, responsibilities, and productivity level. It will also help you determine if their current goals are still relevant and achievable, or if adjustments need to be made to ensure that they are set up for success.
Review goals frequently
When reviewing their goals, ask your employees questions such as, “Did you achieve all your Q1 goals?” and “Are your current Q2 goals still achievable, considering how Q1 went and what remaining Q1 work is on your plate?” From there, you can work together to adjust their goals as needed, adding or removing priorities and shifting timelines to make sure that they are both realistic and challenging.
By taking the time to set quarterly goals with your employees and providing them with the necessary support and resources to achieve them, you can help them stay motivated and engaged in their work. Regular check-ins throughout the quarter can also help keep them on track and ensure that they are making progress towards their larger objectives. Remember, as an employer, it’s your responsibility to help your employees set and achieve their goals, and in doing so, you will create a more productive and fulfilling work environment for everyone.
