Do you know where you and your business are going…really?

‘You can go your own way’…as Stevie Nicks sang.

 

It’s all too easy today to get lost in the myriad of online self congratulatory positivity. We’re shown and told what success looks like on social media, radio and television and it can become highly detrimental to our business and our own personal development. This article will discuss how to obtain clarity around you and your business’ path forward.

Personal clarity

Am I content? Do I feel purposeful?

It is said that goals and challenges we set ourselves are the way in which we overcome the mundane day to day ride of life. When we feel we are working towards something that is meaningful for us we are more purposeful and therefore feel more fulfilled. However, before we can define what our goals are, we must first understand what holds meaning for us. For some this may be family, it might be travel and new experiences, it may mean helping a business to grow or understand themselves or preventing fracking on your doorstep. Wherever you find meaning in life your goals should align.

It can be useful to break down personal and professional objectives separately. There is a lot of noise around making your ‘passion’ your work, however this is not always the best approach for everyone and separating the two may be more logical.

Understanding and becoming clear about what fulfils you on a personal level, will allow you to create goals in alignment with that which is meaningful for you; allowing you to find purpose in everyday tasks knowing you are working towards an target that you have set.

Distractions

Minimise distractions. Finding our own personal clarity can be difficult when we are bombarded with advertising everywhere we turn. Subconsciously, advertising is conditioning us to think in certain ways and if we become aware of this fact it is easier to determine what our thoughts are and which are beliefs we are being sold.

Goal setting

Goals come in all shapes and sizes, there are no hard and fast rules here…perhaps health holds meaning for you so you can be active with your family, or making that next promotion, exploring the world, learning new skills…whatever you define as meaningful in your life.  How can you do more of it? Do your actions align with what you’ve found? How can you start to take that first step towards aligning your actions with what you value?

For example, if health is important to you, how often do you exercise? What does your diet look like? Are there ways to improve? Take small steps towards a larger goal. Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.

Clarity in business:

Purpose & cause

It’s amazing how many businesses cannot clearly communicate their ‘cause’ or ‘purpose,’ their unique raison d'être. Have a think, what is your business purpose, what problems does it solve and for whom? And why are you better than your competitors at solving those problems?

Goals

Business goals are built off the back of a company’s purpose. For example, one of Patagonia’s goals is to use business to protect nature and to report on their progress in their yearly company report. Business goals do not just need to be financial and can include ‘softer’ goals such as employee engagement.

Link to Patagonia’s mission statement:

https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/company-info.html?catargetid=120232940000035391&CAPCID=281867725371&CATCI=dsa-548884598291&CAAGID=50326231818&CADevice=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2cS_vsWT4wIVSrDtCh3_eQU6EAAYASAAEgLMCvD_BwE

Your goal should be a S M A R T goal:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timebound

It is time to communicate it within the business.

Communication

In most businesses, communication is often cited as a barrier to productivity. The business direction should be shared with clarity with the whole company. In order for a business to know where it is going and what it hopes to achieve, employees have to know and understand the direction and goals of the business. This creates a common cause within the business and encourages employees to engage and contribute.

Without clarity and direction in business you run the risk of ending up somewhere that you don’t want to be. As they say, if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

If you are currently wondering where your business is going, we can help. We’ve helped thousands of businesses over the years to understand their position and offer advice on the next steps…get in contact with Melanie Richardson our Managing Partner if you’d like to understand more about how we help businesses onto the next stage.

Email: melanier@swindellsaccounting.co.uk

Tel: 01825 763366