How Is Our Trip?
Trips rarely go exactly as planned. As you continue on the journey toward your destination, there should be strategic checkpoints along the way to allow you and your board to review and measure progress of the plan. Measuring your progress, like planned stops in interstate travel, is a sensible way to travel toward success.
Ask yourself questions along the way:
- Have you met your financial and operational goals?
- Are your teams performing as anticipated?
- Are you increasing market share?
- Do employees understand their roles?
- Are you doing things your competitors aren't?
- If there is a new culture, has that been celebrated and communicated to all employees?
- Do you have bench strength? Are leaders developing in the way you envisioned?
- Most importantly, what did you learn about the journey that you can use to improve during the next challenge ahead?
When you arrive at your destination, it is an opportune time to review your entire journey. When you reach your goal, many times you move to the next challenge and don't take time to answer the questions: how was our trip? Yet truly mapping and measuring the results of your planning and implementation stages and reviewing how you and your company got to each stage of the process, can be invaluable information for the next challenge you face.
Ask yourself and your leadership team:
- Did you get where you wanted to go?
- Did you enjoy the trip?
- Was it an easy process?
- What would make it more enjoyable next time?
- Did your plan make a difference in achieving your objectives?
- Did it help you prepare for potholes along the way?
- What is the condition of your vehicle for the next journey?
CEOs and top leaders know that around every bend are continual issues of growth and change. They also know that the best way to face the road ahead is full throttle, but backed by solid planning, good advisors and team members, and a quick response to midcourse adjustments. You may have reached this destination, but it is likely that a new fork in the road will present itself soon. It is never too early to begin planning the next adventure.
