Set goals now for company, employee success next year

Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once said, "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else."

Mr. Berra was famous for his way with words, and he makes a great point. If your business doesn't have an end or goal in mind, who knows where you will end up.

Timing. As we approach the end of 2011, if you haven't started planning for next year, I suggest you drop everything and urgently complete this very important task, right now. As we look at next year, I recommend the goal setting process start no later than September. By doing so, leaders will have more time for this key assignment. I believe the sooner the planning process begins the better chance leaders have to consider, ponder, decide, prepare, organize, and communicate the most important results that must be achieved over the following twelve months.

Planning Elements. With that in mind, I have written several suggestions to help leaders, managers and workers establish company, group and individual business goals for 2012.

Talk to Customers. When it comes to setting goals for a company, all successful organizations start by talking to their customers. The objective is for all employees to listen carefully to what they have to say and to respond appropriately.

Over the course of my career, I have, each year, contacted clients both large and small to ask them what they want from us the next year. Their answers concerning products, pricing, delivery, warranties and the buying experiences were extremely helpful when it came to setting goals. I was always pleased with their willingness to answer my questions.

With this information in hand, among other things, I knew what our revenues would be for the following year, what products and services would be made and delivered and at what cost.

Be Clear, Specific and Understandable. With facts in hand, great leaders now have the responsibility to clearly communicate to employees exactly and specifically what needs to be done at each layer of the organization. . There should be no confusion or doubt in anyone's mind concerning their assignments, authority and responsibility and how their duties fit within the whole enterprise.