Execution: The Darkside Of Many Small Businesses

Have you created the best goals and loftiest plans for your business, only to see your hopes dashed on the rocks of non-execution? We all have...

Over the years, we've seen hundreds of small businesses in our The How To Double Your Profit System face and overcome this business demon. All too often, the CEO, the staff, or both, are simply too overextended to complete the work of the plan.

We've compiled a short list of eight key steps to making sure your project gets completed. You might not agree with all of them, but you should find the list useful nevertheless. Here it is:

Set a Goal (SMART)
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timed
“Chunk” down the steps to achieving the goal
Set a date for completion for each step
Create a visual timeline or project calendar
Decide who does what
Put it in individual calendar(s)
Manage, Manage, Manage; Track, Track, Track
Adjust as needed, but never give up
While certainly not exhaustive, if you follow these steps, you should either complete the task or not undertake it, because the process will have shown you that you do not have the capacity. This blog post is admittedly brief; if you'd like a little more, download a slide presentation here.

http://www.ceocoachblog.com/2007/08/execution-the-d.html