WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? WHERE? HOW?
Setting goals is an integral part of your business, and those goals may often need to be redefined as your business either fail, or continue to evolve. You may also need to reevaluate your goals for the purpose of meeting the demands of the market, which is ever changing and may cause the need to adjust the focus of your products or services and/or shift your geographic target. No matter where you are in your business, every now and then you will need to revisit the drawing board, set new heights for your business, and determine new ways to achieve your objectives. Some best practices in re-conceptualizing your goals are to make sure they are specific, realistic, and measurable. Ask yourself these six questions: Who? What? When? Why? Where? and How?
Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. ~ Pablo Picasso
- Where is your business now? Where will your business go? ~ It is important to know and understand where your business currently stands. Be optimistic about the future and have a clear vision of where you would like your business to go.
- When will you get there? Set a realistic timeline of events that will help you determine how long it will take you to get your business where you would like it to go.
- What will you need to get you there? Determine the tools and resources you will need to help you achieve your goal. What will be your main focus? What are your core values?
- Who can help you get there? Identify who the major players are that can help you get where you are trying to go. This may include mentors, customers, partners, family, friends, advisers, personnel, competition, or your target audience itself. Who will you need to take with you on your business journey, and who will you need to leave behind? It is also important to identify who will and will not benefit from your products, services, and decisions.
Define your business goals so clearly that others can see them as you do. ~ George Burns
- How will you get there? What strategies of execution do you have in place?
- Why? – Your why should govern everything in the process. What is your why? Why are you in business? Why do you want to achieve the specific goal/s that you have set for yourself or your company? Why do you believe others will continue to like your products or services? It’s very important that you never lose sight of your why.
Redefining your business goals will help you get closer to unlocking the full potential of your business and achieving growth. It is important to view both internal and external factors, and make sure that your goals, priorities, communication, actions, key relationships, and business culture are all in alignment with each other. Whether you are a startup or an established company, these five W’s+H will help you achieve innovative focus and growth.
