Setting Intentions

It’s easy to look at your accomplishments over the past year and decide to do better in the year ahead, but you need a deep will to win if you want to achieve substantial growth. You must consciously set clear intentions for your business and leadership goals for yourself.

Having a solid foundation is a must for the adaptability you’re going to require as the marketplace changes and there will be some real challenges coming up this year. You will have to focus on your numbers like never before and you need to plan for that now.

Planning takes time and it’s not a set-and-done task. Schedule a two-day planning session once a year, then follow up with regular tracking on your progress. Use monthly catch-up sessions to detail what you’re doing and what needs to be done. Conduct quarterly reviews to look at achievements, lessons learned, strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. Evaluate your big projects and decide how you want to steer them in the next quarter. Great businesses are built on honesty and vulnerability as you have to see what’s really happening, not just what you want to see.

Your long-term plan should include multiple streams of income. Beyond real estate sales, think about expanding into mortgage brokering, property management – even in-house photography and media production for presenting properties with brand distinction. Take a new view around the kind of business you want to build. How has your scope broadened over time? How much more is possible for you now?

Remember to create lucrative career progression for your people, too, because as they grow your business grows with them. Help your good people become great so they can channel their skills and capabilities into stellar business success.

Imminent market trends you need to prepare for include longer days on market, lower auction activity, and challenging conditions overall. Align your organizational culture now so your people know what is expected of them and can stay motivated when these changes occur.

Don’t forget to set your calendar for marketing campaigns and leave time for the year ahead. That New Year vigor won’t last, so make sure you keep your marketing current and your people energized, because those are the two most vital elements for keeping your business fresh throughout the year.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s Growth, Leadership and Management Tip, and I look forward to seeing you here again next month.