With three-quarters of the year behind us, we’ve officially entered the final stretch of 2019. With 2020 just around the corner, many companies are feeling the pressure to finish strong. So, it’s important to take an assessment of where you are and what you need to do to meet – and exceed – your end-of-year goals.
Whether you’re right on track or falling short of your performance expectations, these tips may help ensure you head into the new year with some positive momentum.
Fine tune your action plan
Although it’s likely too late to overhaul your annual plan altogether, there are probably small adjustments that can be made to give an extra boost toward meeting your end of year goals. Taking a moment to review and revise your strategies before making a final push toward 2020 will help focus your efforts on the activities that will get you there.
Rally the troops
If your employees’ stamina seems to be running on fumes as you head into the final months of 2019, it’s important to do everything you can to motivate and energize them to find their second wind and focus on finishing strong. From team building events to simply catering lunch from time to time, there are a wide variety of ways to keep spirits high and ensure everyone is engaged.
Clear the path
Sometimes the best thing you can do to shed all the clutter that has accumulated throughout the year is to clear a path toward the finish line. From extra projects and conflicts with colleagues to actual files paper piling up on every available surface around the workplace, ridding yourself of distractions lets you think more clearly about reaching and exceeding your goals.
Up the ante
If your team is lagging behind – or just barely meeting performance goals – sometimes upping the ante is necessary to get a final burst of productivity to finish the year. Whether it’s offering more enticing bonuses or implementing an end-of-the-year sales contest, giving your workforce and exciting new reward to aim for may be exactly what’s needed.
Take a breather
If you’ve had a long and challenging year up to this point, it’s likely becoming more difficult to summon the energy needed to stay on track. Before you start the countdown to the final days of 2019, take an opportunity to catch your breath. Whether it’s taking a full vacation or just a long weekend, a little time to recharge the batteries is essential to staying focused and energized for closing out the fourth quarter.
No matter what your end of the year situation may be, the most important thing is to stay focused. If you fall short of meeting your goals, don’t dwell on it. Use it as an opportunity to learn what didn’t work so you will be better prepared to position yourself for success in the new year.
