How To Collaborate With Your Employees To Keep Your Business Moving Forward
By: Astha Singh
Tags: Leadership, Business, Collaboration, Entrepreneurship, Performance Management

As Social Psychologist Heidi Grant says in ‘Get Your Team to Do What It Says It’s Going to Do’:

Creating goals that teams and organizations will accomplish isn’t just a matter of defining what needs doing; you also have to spell out the specifics of getting it done because you can’t assume that everyone involved will know how to move from concept to delivery.

Creating goals that teams and organizations will accomplish isn’t just a matter of defining what needs doing; you also have to spell out the specifics of getting it done because you can’t assume that everyone involved will know how to move from concept to delivery.

Goals can seem impenetrable and overwhelming without a detailed plan to reach them. Take this as an example — Akash, a young entrepreneur, wants to start a business of handmade chocolate. Now to achieve this big goal, he has to make smaller tasks — getting a company incorporated, taking care of legal compliances, find a manufacturer of dark and white chocolate, packaging, so on and so forth. If Akash tries to finish these tasks one step at a time, he will be able to get nearer to achieve his ultimate goal.

If your employees create a plan to reach their goals, it is more likely that they will achieve them. The time that they invest in the start of the process will have a huge pay off at a later stage. Additionally, keep in mind that the goals may shift over some time, and, therefore, the plans will also need some adjustment.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Step 1: Determine The Tasks Needed To Accomplish The Goal:

The whole process of creating tasks is to make complicated or long term projects/goals much more manageable and achievable.

Break down the goal in task-based components. If one task seems overwhelming, break it further into smaller tasks. Some items can be worked on simultaneously while others need to be completed sequentially. The list of tasks should be categorized accordingly.

Step 2: Chalk out a timeline for completion of the task:

A start and finish date should be attached to each task to make sure that the items move synchronously.

You can use a Gantt Chart or other time-scaled task diagram that show what tasks are upcoming and allow you to make adjustments. Individuals can also create similar visual-based charts on excel or digital calendars. Discuss a contingency plan for a time when something doesn’t move.

Step 3: Gather The Resources Needed To Fulfill Each Task

Many efforts and plans fail because people underestimate the time and resources required to accomplish each task.

After planning the tasks, consider what each employee needs. Consider whether the employees are available to finish these tasks with the current workload. Consider if the employees have the training and knowledge to complete the tasks and reach their goals. Supply the additional resources that your employees require — a new tool, access to some special training or colleagues to assist them or even an entire team to assist. Further, discuss the ways to help your employees fill the gaps.

Step 4: Get It On Paper

Once you and your employees have reached an agreement on goals, document them. Some organizations send the written form to HR. However, irrespective of the process, keep the file with you and send a copy to your employee also.

The critical information that the documentation should contain are as follows:

Date of the Performance Review meeting Key points brought up by you and your employee Goals of the employee for the next review meeting A detailed plan to achieve the goals A description of any resource or training required to achieve the goals The time frame for follow up meetings

Follow Up And Reassess Goals

Performance Management is an ongoing process, so have periodic check-in conversations to keep track of your direct report’s progress.

GE (General Electrics) encourages frequent conversation with employees to revisit two key questions: 1. What am I doing that I should keep doing? 2. What am I doing that I should change?

The check-in can be done monthly, quarterly or weekly based on how many employees directly report to you.

When To Change Your Employee’s Goals

If the employee’s goal needs to be revised, you must review previously set goals and plans. Top three questions with which you should lead are:

Are the goals still realistic post the changes in constraints or resources? Are the goals still timely? Is now the best possible moment to achieve them? Are the goals still relevant? Do they even now align with the company’s strategy?

Additionally, these check-ins will present themselves as an opportunity to monitor your employees’ performance, offer feedback or provide coaching and thus making sure that everyone moves in the right direction towards achieving the overall goals of the company.