Now that we have taken our ideas from our head and created a clearly written set of SMART goals, we are now challenged to execute the plan and stay on the path to our desired outcomes.
Many books are now dedicated to the subject of effective execution, but a company called GoalCentrix – http://www.goalcentrix.com/ – has taken the time to simplify the process for you, and make it a part of your daily life!
Execution requires what GoalCentrix refers to as the five C’s:
Commitment – Across the entire span of people who will be responsible to accomplish any portion of the plan. Commitment starts with writing down the goal and the plans necessary to stay on the path to success. Each member of the team must agree on the goal and take ownership of their roles and responsibilities, and get it all in writing!
Communication – On a constant basis, communication processes are necessary in order to inform one another what has been done, what remains to be accomplished, and what needs to change. These processes usually take place in the form of meetings, reporting processes, public charting, etc, and should be designed before the process of execution starts, so everyone knows how to quickly and effectively get the information they need.
Collaboration – Several heads are always better than one. Having a collaboration methodology in place that allows team members to make decisions, run meetings, understand responsibilities, etc is critical to success. Decision making is one of the key difference makers in successful organizations, and it makes sense to have a methodology for decision making that is consistent, time-efficient, and leads to action.
Consistency – Having a predictable way of operating together. When will we meet? Who will attend? Who is responsible to do what? What type of reports do we need? People are more successful who have a clearly established set of behavioral guidelines, and making them consistent ensures constant forward motion.
Constant Awareness (Knowledge) – Making decisions requires knowing exactly where we are with respect to where we said we would be. In today’s competitive world, this is becoming more and more critical to organizations that are trying to integrate a goal oriented culture. Effective use of technology is how successful companies and teams are creating this real-time knowledge base that allows quick allocation of resources, course correction, and decision making.
A new type of software has become available to individuals and teams that are called Corporate Performance Management software. GoalCentrix has developed a tool that automates these processes of effective execution, allowing many of the five C’s to be accomplished in a fraction of the time normally required.