Near the Half-Way Mark…Time to Check Progress on Goals!

It probably seems like just yesterday that you laid out your goals for the year. And now the year is nearly half over. Have you taken the time to assess progress on your goals? More importantly, have you communicated that progress to your employees?

As I mentioned in my previous blog, keeping your employees informed – whether good news or bad – is key to keeping them engaged and motivated. Also, remember that communication is a two-way street. Provide ample opportunities for your employees to ask questions and provide feedback. And demonstrate that you are listening to their feedback, even if you are not able to act on it. Many companies conduct employee surveys and then never do anything with the resulting information. Communicate those results to your employees and let them know what actions you are and are not able to take in response to their feedback.

In his book The 8^th Habit, Stephen Covey shared the results of a survey of 23,000 employees drawn from various companies and industries:

• Only 37% said they have a clear understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve and why
• Only 1 in 5 was enthusiastic about their team’s and their organization’s goals
• Only 1 in 5 said they had a clear “line of sight” between their tasks and their team’s and the organization’s goals
• Only 15% felt that their organization fully enables them to execute key goals
• Only 20% fully trusted the organization they work for

Make ongoing, two-way communication a habit!