I work with leadership teams five days per year. We have three quarterly review sessions and a two-day annual planning session. The session cadence provides dedicated time for a leadership team to work “on” their business, not just “in” their business.
Why have quarterly sessions?
Because slowing down enables a leadership team to act with focus and intention. It’s hard to be thoughtful when you are in a rush.
It is a proven fact that as humans we can stay focused for about 90 days. After that, our concentration declines, we lose our rhythm, and generally start going down rabbit holes.
I have seen this exact sequence of events with my own companies. There were times when I barely recognized my leadership team at my last company! That’s when I knew our facilitator was arriving soon to get us back on track.
How do we get back on track, you ask? Here are a few activities for you to consider:
- Reflect on the progress gained in the prior quarter. It is too easy to keep our heads down and lose sight of the growth we achieved. I recommend identifying what you did well the previous quarter, what you could have done better, and what you learned. There is gold in the answers!
- Review the strategic plan to ensure a clear vision. When working “in” our businesses, we can forget where our true north is. Take some time to review your company’s purpose, where you are headed, and how you will get there. We need everyone on the leadership team to be on the same page with the company vision.
- Remove obstacles to progress. Issues come up in every company, often daily. You will determine the root cause and develop a solution to many of them during your weekly leadership team meetings. Some of the issues may not be urgent or are still unfolding. Take some time each quarter to focus on those, and make sure you solve the ones that will limit your capacity next quarter.
- Establish your focus for the next quarter. This is crucial to achieving your annual plan. Many companies create excellent annual plans, and then that plan sits on a shelf until it is time for next year’s annual planning session. If you establish where and how you will focus your energy each quarter, you will achieve greater results.
So what are you waiting for? Have everyone on your leadership team pull out their planners, and let’s get next quarter’s review session on the calendar.
Interested in learning more about the quarterly sessions, the annual planning sessions, or how to work “on” your business rather than “in” it? I can help. Please fill out the consult form below to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with me. Together we can start working on a plan to improve your leadership team’s focus and intention.
