It’s safe to say to 2020 did not go as planned. Many businesses had to scale down or stop altogether. We all saw far too many beloved organizations shutter their doors—and families around the globe continue to negotiate challenges related to job loss, grief, and adaptation on a scale few of us have seen in our lifetimes.

Many businesses are still reeling from the impacts, the New Year means new opportunities. As a lean business consultant in Toronto, this is the time corporations need to look ahead and act aggressively to make up for lost opportunities and revenue in 2020. It doesn’t matter if goals seem unattainable at present. Hope is what the New Year is all about. It’s always possible to succeed through effort. For businesses that means presenting your team with a clear list of expectations and engaging through meaningful, non-judgmental conversations.

Tips for Building Success in 2021

As a lean business consultant, one of the most effective tactics for building success is getting your team aligned. In other words, everyone has to be aware of the goals, so they can work toward those ends.

Define a few important goals

Make these goals visible and track progress in a way that’s visible and clear to team members. This can potentially be met with pushback if it is a set of daunting goals. However, it’s important no negativity is attached to goal setting. Team members need clarity, so they can communicate and negotiate roadblocks effectively.

Review status/progress often

Once or twice daily is optimal. Consider implementing these tips as a guideline for best practices. First, any review must be approached as a way to increase understanding. This is not about failure or blame, but a conversation about how team members or departments can support each other to clear potential barriers. Remember to keep the conversation focused on how progress may be gained over the short term. Record all necessary immediate actions and assess success at the next check-in.

Assign a team leader

Find someone to monitor the overall mechanics and interactions between team members. This person will act as a liaison and ensure the process is flowing smoothly. Responsibilities of the leader include ensuring goals remain visible and progress is clear, helping individuals to understand how they’re contributing to the bigger picture, and gathering data that is consistent, accurate, and honest. As a lean business consultant, it’s important to understand that data manipulation can be intentional or unintentional. Someone must keep the conversation productive and focussed without being judgemental.

If achieving your 2021 objectives seems like an overwhelming prospect, a lean business consultant can help. Through services grounded in the powerful lean management system, I work with businesses in Toronto and across North America to streamline corporate strategy, organizational behaviour, and more. Ask a question. Any question. I’ll be happy to set up a complimentary consultation about potential solutions to address your challenge.