Sure, your company has its eyes on annual, monthly, and even weekly goals, but does your team know them?
If so, bravo! But let ask you a better question. Are your team members responsible for key metrics that highlight their role in helping you reach those goals? Just like I thought…crickets.
As an operations manager, you should equip your team to play their part in reaching company goals. Each team role should have measurable (quantitative) goals that align with key metrics for your company. This equips them to play their part.
Here’s a few changes you can make to implement this:
1. Monitor metrics using a dashboard.
Keep your eyes on the prize. There are hundreds of Key Performance Indicators and implementing them into your strategy will definitely change your business, but in order for them to be effective, you need to monitor, document and report consistently. Get a dashboard that helps you accomplish all three of these.
Set SMART goals (Specifi c, Measurable, Aligned with Values, Realistic, & Time Bounded) and give your team the freedom to create personal strategies, based on their strengths, for reaching them. Don’t micro-manage. Simply monitor metrics and meet with your team regularly to discuss their progress and challenges. When metrics reflect poorly, schedule meetings with the individuals responsible for those metrics.
3. Develop strategic solutions on an individual level.
During those individual meetings, strategize with your team member about how to increase performance. Include their opinion in the plan. If you do this part correctly, they will leave this meeting feeling that their position matters to the overall goals of the company, they are appreciated, and they are needed. They are a small part of a larger picture, but their part is crucial to your success.
