Too busy to plan?

Too busy “doing” to take time for “planning”?
What if a business plan could increase staff productivity and loyalty?

Here’s the story of my latest management lesson at Myx.

Early in the new year, I met with my team to announce temporary reduced work hours to get through the slow weeks of early January. Then I sheepishly issued an open invitation to a session to plan Myx’s goals for 2010. Considering the news I’d just shared, I was prepared to work alone.

Two hours later you could have knocked me over with a feather. The whole team not only showed up, they heartily shared ideas, laughed, and worked hard to set realistic targets.

It probably won’t go down in history as the best way to handle a tough spot or set business targets, but something about the combination of “here’s the reality, now let’s sit together and develop a plan,” worked.

You may be thinking it’s easy for things like this to occur in a small business where relationships are close. But what I learned was not so much about how nice or generous people can be. It was more about how invested they are.

Less than a year into my new business, employees have joined me in “owning” this idea of a meeting centre. Sure, there might be a temporary lull – what business isn’t slow in January? – but they’ve invested themselves in the venture and own its future success almost as much as I do. And speaking of the future, they don’t necessarily trust me to bring Myx to its full potential … at least, not without their help.

To coin Martha Stewart’s phrase, that’s a very good thing.

BDC presented a workshop recently on the topic of human resource strategies. The presenter said one of the best tactics to recruit and keep good employees is to inform them of company goals and objectives. She said workers are motivated by knowing what’s expected of them and where the organization is headed. She polled the 150 or so people in the room, asking how many had written and shared a 2010 business plan with employees. Three or four raised their hands. I was one of them.

It was a feel-good moment, certainly, but it was also a wake-up call. I sometimes do things in isolation, expecting – as I did on that January day – that employees don’t want or need to be involved. How very wrong. As I tell my clients but sometimes forget myself, a team needs to see and contribute to the company’s direction.

After our planning session one member of my team said, with a large measure of relief in her voice, “I was pretty sure you had a plan but now we know what we have to do and that feels great.”

I’d be remiss if I didn’t put in a little plug for Myx at this point. If you could use a business plan for your company, I’d love to share my facilitation expertise and my meeting centre to help you and your team. Drop me a note to talk details. gina@myxmeetings.com

Oh, and for the record, a few weeks after announcing reduced work hours, new bookings brought us back up to speed. How’s that for good karma?