Want to conduct a realistic “Grow the Business” meeting? Surface what went south this month
Plenty of business books, advisors and academics will tell you what to do to be successful. That part is fairly well known. Wouldn’t is also be a good idea to know what to do when failure is just around the corner?
Knowing what not to do, or better, what to do to correct mistakes already committed, is a terrific way to re-orient everyone on the best next-step actions.
Provide a safe discussion environment
Focusing on problems may meet with resistance. However if you make it OK to surface and discuss problems, the way forward becomes much more clear, much quicker.
Most employees and managers are not going to jump into your office to tell you what went wrong. For that to happen, it will require a small shift in how managers are encouraged to expect mistakes, uncover them and use them as nuggets for improvement.
In my experience this is not as difficult or upsetting as it may appear. Because more people already know what these mistakes may be, they welcome the process.
Imagine a team of employees and managers coming together each month for a “what is not working” 45 minute creative meeting. The goal would be to spotlight 1 to 3 projects that simple are not working, are stuck, need a boost or should be dropped.
What you’ll gain
- Put an end to go no where, lifeless projects
- Refresh worthy projects with new ideas and zest
- Provide brainstorming-type ideas to the project leader who needs new ideas or help
- Provide managers reassurance that they don’t have to suffer sliding projects alone – cat is out of the bag and that is good
- Teach everyone that mistakes are a big part of success
- Improve the company’s ability to respond to reality of running a business
What to do:
As with most improvement tips and methods, try this by yourself first. Make a list of all the disappointments you have with the company or with specific projects. Start with any department.
Once you make your own private list in writing, watch how your energy, focus, ideas and motivation to do something about it increases. The same will happen with the whole team once you perfect the system. Just be sure that you do it on your own and make it close to perfect in your mind before you roll it out. If you don’t, the team will kill it before it has a chance.
I hope you try this and that it helps open everyone to new ideas
