With so many distractions today, staying focused has become a great challenge for all of us. A typical business owner would have a week full of meetings while an employee would have a week full of deadlines and repetitive tasks. In between all of these are distractions like change in schedule, new mini projects, social media and email notifications, and more.
You may have experienced setting targets or objectives that have fallen on deaf ears where the outcome was different from what you expected. Somewhere along the way, your team got lost on how to do what. Here are some ways you can keep your team focused:
Be specific with the “what.” You need to be crystal clear about what you want your team to achieve. Is it increase in sales? Then how much increase are we talking about? Is it improved customer service? Then in what area specifically? Is it increase in brand awareness? Then which marketing channel are we going to leverage? Your team should be able to visualize what your goal is so they can grasp it fully. The clearer the target is, the more likely they’ll hit it!
Be thorough with the “how.” Now that you’ve laid down your objectives, you need to guide your team on how to get there. The steps should also be specific. For example, if we’re talking about a 10% increase in sales, tell your team to focus on customers who have previously bought from you and entice them to come back. You can even be more specific by telling them that you wouldn’t focus on getting new customers right now but on increasing the purchases of your regular customers. That will help you team come up with a strategy easily and quickly.
Be mindful of roadblocks. Identify the challenges that your team will face in trying to accomplish these goals. Do they have budget constraints in the department? Will the system or infrastructure hold up for the plan they have in mind? Keep your team accountable by asking for updates not only on their progress but also on the things that can derail it so you can immediately intervene. Knowing these roadblocks early can help you adjust quickly before things get too difficult!
Be excited! Any goal needs a buy-in. You and your team need to be all pumped up to get things going! Get them excited! As the leader, your enthusiasm is crucial to the performance of your team. Passion is what drives people to give it their all and it is coupled with eagerness and fervor. Be optimistic and motivate your team whenever you get the chance. Knowing that their leader is cheering for them makes them more focused and determined to get things done!
Focus may seem overrated in this day and age, but when you have a clear goal in mind, coupled with specific steps to take, and the rallying support of your team, then accomplishing your objective becomes attainable. Depending on how you lead your team, the process can be enjoyable and fulfilling, too!
If you want to know more about getting your team focused and helping them increase their productivity, drop me a line here. I have tools that will help you and your team become more efficient in accomplishing your goals. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have!
