Friday 18 January 2013

5 Questions for Big-Picture Managers in 2013

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR
Editor, HR Daily Advisor
As we kick off 2013, it’s a great time to take a step back as a manager and assess your situation, says business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald, and he’s got five questions that will force you to do just that.  

Here are five questions you can ask yourself that will help you focus on what’s important in the new year:
1. What are the company’s top three initiatives for 2013? If you don’t know, go find out. What is the business trying to accomplish this year? As a leader you need to know the answer to this question so you can determine how your team can contribute to the overall business goals. It’s important that you align your department’s objectives with those of the company. You can do that only if you know for certain what the top initiatives are for the year.
2. What are the top three initiatives for my department? Again, if you know the answer to the first question, it will help you determine what your department must do for the company to succeed. Aligning your department’s goals with those of the company will help your team understand how they are contributing to the company’s overall success. Set your departmental goals early, and make them visible for everyone. Remind people how they’re contributing to the company’s success.
3. What are five new ways we can drive value to the organization? Brainstorm a bit. Answering the first two questions will help you get on board with the overall direction of the organization, but asking and answering this question will help you think about new initiatives that can help move the organization forward.
  • What can your team do that will drive the business to be better in 2013?
  • What new things can you try that could open a new revenue stream or improve the level of service?
  • Don’t wait for someone else to come up with the next great idea. Work with your team, and challenge them to push the envelope.

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