Setting
goals
The leader
will decide the long term objectives with the help of his team.
The leader
has to be very selective when choosing these objectives. They should
be difficult, demanding, but they should also be realistic and achievable.
If this is not the case the organization will consider them absurd.
The objectives
should be very precise.
The company has to concentrate its resources on achieving some determined
objectives. They shouldn’t fight for scattered objectives as
if this happens there is the risk that nothing will be achieved.
The objectives
should be quantified
(be No 1, double sales in 3 years, win 4 points in the market quota,
etc). More imprecise ideas are not valid (be the best, grow, diversify).
It is fundamental
to get the opinion of those that you are going to demand these goals
from, listen to them, know their arguments, and pay attention to them.
Goals that are set from above, in which the effected people have not
been consulted will not be very motivating.
Once the
long term objectives have been defined, short term goals will be established.
These small
goals will drive towards achieving the long term goals.
These immediate
goals will increase the pressure on the organization (the long term
can be seen as something distant and can make people relax).
On the
other hand, carrying out these partial goals contribute to increasing
the employees morale.
Although
it is fundamental to tighten the defined action plan and be very persistent
when carrying it out, the leader can not give into flexibility, to
make a fuss in a certain moment if an opportunity arises which he
is interested in taking advantage of.
In a world
that is constantly changing, like the one we live in, you can not
afford to be inflexible.
Once the
goals have been fixed, the leader will give autonomy to the different
departments so that they can proceed in the way they consider most
appropriate (the person that does the work knows the best way to do
things).
Autonomy
with certain limits, this doesn’t imply chaos.
Autonomy
means the employees have to assume responsibilities, make decisions
and respond to their results.
Autonomy
promotes creativity.
The leader
can not interfere in the smaller work details of his subordinates.
Doing this
can make them feel uncomfortable, pressured, underestimated.
Only in
cases in which a certain department underachieves can the leader go
deeper to se the motives of their failure and fix changes.
When the
department works with autonomy, it is good to establish a communication
system with the company that allows people to share experiences.
If a department
has developed a work method that is efficient, this can also be useful
in other areas of the company.
Finally,
you need to give the departments the necessary resources so they can
achieve their objectives.
You can
not ask the production department to reduce their manufacturing cost,
improve the quality of their product and not give them the adequate
tools, the necessary technology, required training.
Neither
can you ask the commercial department to gain market quota and not
give them a portfolio of attractive products which they can compete
with.
