One thing that is constant in January of the year, is business meetings, talking about targets and business growth. Let’s take a step back and answer two questions,

What are you going to do different to achieve these targets and business growth?

How are you going to support your team in achieving them?

So, before we set and finalize the targets and growth plans, does everyone understands where your business is heading? Do they have a clearly defined path with a clear and focused end goal? This defines the foundation of the business and it is critical that the business foundation is strong and stable. Every business needs a solid foundation from which it can grow.

Now the question is how do you ensure you have this strong and stable foundation? Here are 3 key elements that form the groundwork of any strong and successful operation:

Vision

Can everyone in your team give the same answer when asked, what the vision is? if you are taking more than 3 seconds to answer that, I want you to think further, what will be the impact on your targets and business growth if everyone doesn’t have a clear picture of this vision? Vision is probably slowly moving away from the clear path that you as a senior leader have in your mind.

I can’t stress enough on the importance of having a clear vision for your business. Think of it this way: Without a clear vision, it’s like giving someone a car and a GPS and telling them to drive to a city, but not giving them an exact address to arrive at. Your vision is the address; it’s the actual destination that you want to reach. It’s your end goal.

Once you have a clear vision in place, you can now work with your team to identify the ways that you can achieve that ultimate end goal. You’ll be able to come together and work to reach that destination.

Mission

What is your mission? What do you want to achieve with your business?

The answers to these questions are essential, in order to identify and understand the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be. It’s the gap analysis that will tell you what you need to do in order to get to where you want to be, as a company and a team.

You have to identify your mission and have clarity about what you want to achieve. Once you define your mission, you can identify the steps you need to take. You’ll be able to create a structure and put systems into place that will support everyone’s role.

Values

Values are at the core of your company’s identity and brand. They shape how you want your customers to see your business. Knowing and identifying your values will also help you find the right employees.

Hiring a team of individuals that have similar values and understand what’s important helps to ensure success. As you look at qualified candidates for your company, determine if they share values that align with the company. Only employees who truly believe in those values will be able to represent the business, as well as share a similar passion for what you’re striving for.

Each of these 3 elements is critical to building a strong and stable foundation for your business. When any of the 3 pillars are missing, and team doesn’t have focus and clarity, achieving sustainable growth can be a challenge.

Gain clarity identify your targets and your destination in order to create an overall plan. This comprehensive plan will include strategies, structures, and strong leadership team. It’s essential that you lay down a strong foundation that allows you to identify and eliminate gaps, sow the seeds of growth, and raise the pillars of success. You’ll be ready to move forward in the right direction on the road to success.

To your success,

Kiran Mann