Summer is not all poolside relaxation for your business. Here are some things to consider in preparation for Q4.
Optimize Your Decision-Making
The sole goal of your company is to develop and carry out excellent, collaborative decisions. If you regularly make and carry out the right choices, you succeed; if you make bad choices or do not follow through on wise choices, you fail. Your entire company is a decision-making machine. Additionally, your decision-making machine needs routine preventative maintenance, just like anything else with moving components.
Try Something New
Since you work outside of your comfort zone every day as a leader, it comes naturally to you. Either you are inherently adept at handling ambiguity, uncertainty, and quickly shifting priorities, or you have chosen yourself to be so; otherwise, you would not be where you are now. The problem is that you still have the freedom to live with discomfort. The apparent turmoil around you is still being controlled by you. You are responsible for handling or spinning up all that ambiguity and uncertainty as it occurs.
As Always, Review Your Goals
It’s true that you examine KPIs and OKRs (as well as any other internal measures your company uses) on a monthly and quarterly basis but consider the following factors: In the heat of execution pressure, squeezed in between ‘normal’ operating tasks, dowsed in the sweat of the urgent. Review your organization’s annual goals during the summer when the crucial things are less hectic. You will be surprised at how differently you will interpret where you are (and what your organization needs to do next to achieve those goals) when you are not taking a monthly or quarterly short-term view.
Reconnect with Clients
To reconnect with clients, re-engage, avoid selling, give an update on the project and write a note by hand. To revitalize an old space, provide a free tour. These days, small interactions result in large projects in the fall, particularly when you remind customers that product orders must be placed by August at the latest due to holiday deadlines. In July, manufacturers begin to release end-of-year deadlines. Additionally, meeting the deadline does not guarantee delivery. Now set the tone. You are not exerting any pressure. You are using your genius. Your clients like your foresight because it is one of your unique selling points.
Keep this conversation going by commenting below, liking this piece, sharing this article, calling me directly at (812-336-1727), or e-mail me at (andrew@lambertconsulting.biz).
