The 12 Last Days of Business - Day 12

What you do on the last 12 days of business in a calendar year can dramatically affect your success in the following year. And, yes. This does apply to fiscal year financial businesses – the human thinks and works in a calendar year – they mentally re-set on January 1^st. So this either means it is their ½ year re-set for fiscal year businesses or New Year re-set for calendar year businesses. The important thing is that it is a re-set and with that comes huge opportunity as a leader – so buckle up and charge through to the end of the year!

#1 - Be courageous. Don’t be a lazy executive who takes the last two weeks of the year off and leaves the staff to hold down the fort 

For many businesses, it is either boom or bust this time of year. If you are in a bust situation, take this opportunity to MBWA (manage by walking around). Spend time with associates. Find out what they see as working and not working in the organization. Ask them, “what could we do to make things better in 2011?” You just might be amazed at how insightful, thoughtful and brilliant some of the solutions are that come from your staff. If you are in a boom situation, get out there and be the biggest cheerleader there ever was. Even though it is a boom time, it can be enhanced dramatically with daily sales contests and rewards. (And don’t go cheap on the rewards—after all, it is the holidays)! 

As an example of this, I took a Call Center Lead Gen group and cranked them up to 14 highly qualified leads per hour from 1 lead per hour by implementing a 15-20 minute morning meeting where I got the chance to praise employees’ work, announce winners and ask for any issues that came up so we could resolve them right then and there. So, if I can get results like that, imagine what you can do (especially with my help)! And, yes… I have been hired to design these contests and run them on behalf of management, but I ALWAYS insist that management/executives participate in every 15-20 minute meeting. Your presence is powerful and a simple ”great job” or “great meeting” from you means the world to the staff.

Check tomorrow for Day 11!

Mary