Are You Looking to Set Business Goals in 2022?
Written by Katie K Riggs
“A goal without a plan is just a dream.” — Anonymous
At Riggs & Co, we are dreamers and believe in setting lofty, yet attainable, goals each and every year. We believe this is a key ingredient to the consistent growth we have experienced since opening our doors.
Whether or not you own your company, you should be setting yourself up for success by outlining a plan for the year ahead. Without goals, you have no way to monitor your company’s progress or keep yourself or your team accountable. Goals help create a clear path for your company and get you headed in the right direction.
All goals are important, no matter how big or small they are. Achieving small goals can help you work toward bigger goals. Your goals help you grow your business or career.
According to one study, people who set goals are 10 times more likely to succeed. That’s right — 10 times! If you want to experience long-term success for you and your business, setting and tracking goals is a necessity. Here are a few steps to get you started on your goal setting journey.
1. Confirm What You Want Your Goals To Be
This can be the hardest step when getting started. We suggest thinking about what you want to accomplish in your business in the next year, the next three years, or the next five. The goals you set this year will support you in achieving those larger goals.
You have to make sure that these goals are worth your time and effort or, let’s face it, you won’t do what you need to do to accomplish them. We suggest undergoing a SWOT analysis to showcase the areas your company needs improvement and where you are already successful.
2. Be Specific
When setting the larger and smaller goals that will be needed along the way, make sure you are specific and clear. These must be measurable and written in a way that it is clear on how you will determine you have been successful in achieving the goal. Including specific dollar amounts, dates, and staff counts will all help ensure this. They must be SMART (Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time Based) goals.
3. Commit to Goals
Like with anything in life, if you want to achieve a goal, you have to commit to it. If you’re determined to lose weight, what do you do? You set goals, and commit to your diet and exercise regime to reach your goal weight. Once you set your goals, make the commitment and stick to it. Enjoy the ride, track your results, and do whatever you need to do to stay motivated throughout the process.
4. Review Regularly
Setting up dedicated time to meet with your team or leadership — or simply spend time on your own reviewing your goals and progress — will support you in staying the course. Make sure anyone who is a key to the success of the goals is involved in the process, and that their feedback is included. This will support the whole organization in getting on board.
You should also be utilizing some sort tracking system for the large goals, milestones, and review notes. This doesn’t have to be fancy; it just has to recorded! Excel can be great for this if you don’t have a project management system in place.
5. Stick To The Deadlines
Make sure that you are sticking to the deadlines you have set for each goal. Setting time-focused goals help you set a clear date for when you want to reach your goals. Deadlines help you stay in line and give you the boost you need to accomplish your goals. Be specific and get it documented!
6. Celebrate (!)
One of the most important steps is to celebrate accomplishing goals and milestones. It doesn’t matter how you and the team celebrate, but it is super important that you do. Don’t wait for the bigger goals. Set small rewards for the milestones along the way to keep you and the team motivated to achieve the larger goals set.