Given that this blog is being published a day later than we had planned, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we had a crystal ball, able to anticipate a sudden government U-turn and third national lockdown. We didn’t, although the fact that we are able to now publish something which is up-to-date and relevant, proves that even in uncertain times it’s possible to turn something into a success or find value in it.  

For many employers, we imagine that the start of January 2021 wasn’t quite what you envisaged. When we published our blog three weeks ago looking towards what 2021 would bring, we had Brexit in mind, but as we’ve learnt over the last ten months, events happen, things rapidly change, and we have to find ways to work around the unexpected. While we undoubtedly all have an uncertain year ahead, we’re in a different place to where we found ourselves in March. Aside from having hindsight and experience to fall back on, there is also the knowledge that multiple vaccines exist and are being rolled out. In a nutshell, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel (something that we didn’t have when Covid-19 first hit the news at around this time last year). And, so with that in mind, it’s still extremely pertinent to set goals and targets for the coming year.   

Set your business a target 

A target doesn’t have to be world changing, but it does have to be something you can work towards and that you can hopefully achieve. At this point we’ll add that it’s ok to move your target as things change. After all, that’s how people learn archery. Once they learn to hit the target, they move it further back and work on hitting it again.  

Choosing something that you’d like to achieve and that is potentially still achievable if things change allows you, your business, and team to work towards something to celebrate.  

Also, remember you don’t have to set any proposed outcomes on your own. Team up with professionals to help you and advise you. Having a ‘critical friend’ in your back pocket gives you the advantage of not only receiving a second opinion on your plans, but the peace of mind that it is a trusted opinion. In our minds The Emperor’s New Clothes is an extremely underused story in business.  

Try to enjoy what you’re working towards 

At the end of 2020 we spent a lot of time reflecting with various small business owners. It had been a tough and uncertain year for many of them. One, who had managed to completely pivot their business, which had included a complete change of processes and staff reductions, reflected, “yes, it’s been an horrific year, I’m exhausted but, funnily enough, it’s energised me”. As it turns out that energy had also passed to their team and they were genuinely enjoying working for the business.  

We do understand that not all changes are going to be enjoyable but having and maintaining a common goal (even if it ends up changing) can reduce stress and increase employee engagement. In a similar way, embracing and accepting when things don’t work out as planned can also be used as a positive.  

Set SMART goals and share them 

Any target you set should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time sensitive. Break down what you want to achieve, be honest with yourself and set a SMART goal for each part of the journey. And don’t forget to tell everyone on your team about them. They may have some excellent ideas about what the business can do to achieve each goal.  

Ask for help if things aren’t going in the right direction 

Remember those experts and ‘critical friends’ that you spoke to when you set your targets. They don’t suddenly lose interest after providing you with their advice and insights, they’re there when you need them. So, if things aren’t quite going as you planned, ask them again for guidance and support. That’s what they’re there for.  

As ever, the team at Dakota Blue Consulting are available to provide honest and trusted guidance for any target setting or for any other advice your business may need. Just get in touch.