Getting what you want from your business in 2024

With a new year comes a new opportunity

So here we are, our planet completing another lap around the sun.

I love this time of the year and the opportunity it gives to pause, reflect and look to the year ahead.

Unfortunately though, many business owners are so busy in the lead up, that they collapse over the finish line, quickly finding that the new year starts just as hectic as the last.

This may just be the reality of your business, your industry, or your pace of growth – however that does not mean you shouldn’t use this time to refocus on what you want, and craft a vision and plan for the year ahead.

Why you need to create space

Running a business is like a non stop marathon – there are always problems to solve and opportunities to be taken.

This creates the feeling that we need to be ‘always on’ – battling our inbox, catching up with missed calls, in meeting after meeting. If left unchecked, this mode of operation can last for months (sometimes years) on end..

In this stressed state our brain engages in ‘survival mode’ constantly on the lookout for problems that need attention – there’s nothing wrong with that – it is how we are wired, and how our species rose to the top of the food chain.

However, our species also benefited from long periods of silence and calm to develop and engage our high order brain functions, to engage in long term planning, conceptual thinking, and creativity.

And so as a leader, you should see the end of year break as the opportunity to create space, to let go of the year gone by, to gain clarity of where you are, and where you want to go.

Your needs are the most important

You have no doubt been successful because you have taken other’s needs seriously –  your customers, your employees (and your investors, if externally funded).

Though, who is looking out for you?

Who is responsible for making sure your needs are met??…  You are!

Often in the marathon-like year of execution, we can become detached from our own needs, sacrificing our happiness and health to keep it all going…this is not sustainable in the long run, and ultimately leads to misery and suffering.

So, use this time as an opportunity to really reflect – and get clear on what you want from your business – what would be a dream come this time next year?  How much money do you want to make? How do you want to spend your time when in the business? How much free time do you want to have?

The process of writing this down is very powerful – clearly defining what you really want (and what you don’t want).

Plan to get what you want

When you’re clear on what you want – the best way to give that future state a chance of success is to have a plan.

“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” – I love this quote,  but I think a better way to define it is:  “The best way to get what you don’t want, is to fail to define what you do want.”

It’s your role as a leader to create clarity and focus – to do so, there are some must haves:

Financial Targets (revenue & profit), Traction metrics (ie # widgets, # clients, etc), and a list of 3 – 7 SMART goals – (ie Achieve 123 by ABC, so that we can XYZ)

Here’s an example I created for my daughter (who loves dragon puppets at the moment)

By December 31, 2024:

Rev: $150

Profit: $100

Measurables: 30 puppets 

Goals:

1. Give dragon puppets instead of lolly bags at my birthday (to get my friends interested) 

2. Release 1 new dragon puppet each month (to keep my friends interested)

3. Create 10 youtube videos about my dragon puppets (to show my friends I’m lit)

Not so difficult, huh?

Giving yourself the best chances of success

With clear measures of success, you need a system to work together as a team and track your process throughout the year.

EOS is that system.

I won’t try to explain all the in’s and out’s of EOS here – though I’ll give you some basics to think about:

• Get all your people rowing in the same direction page – discuss, debate, refine every number and word until your team is 100% on the same page.

• Execute one quarter at a time – break your plan down into quarters and focus everyone’s energy on the handful of most important priorities (we call these ROCKS)

• Run weekly meetings – to keep your numbers and ROCKS on track, and work together as a team to solve your issues. The best format for this meeting is something we call the Level 10 meeting agenda.
• Make a song and dance about the year ahead – you don’t need to actually sing and dance, but you do need to get your whole organisation inspired with your vision and plan.

Even if you do all this, there is no guarantee of success – that’s the nature of business, taking the risk and embracing the unknown.  Though what I can promise is that if you run with EOS this year, you will get so much closer to achieving your vision, and you might actually get what you want from your business.

If you need help with any of this stuff – head over to the EOS Worldwide website for a ton of free resources, or contact your local EOS implementer – there’s over 700 of us around the world, we each share a passion for helping business owners live their ideal lives.

It is a journey!  Enjoy it.