Maintaining Morale

Reaching each target can give a great sense of satisfaction to your staff and help to inspire confidence.

Measuring your progress toward targets has the additional benefit of boosting staff morale. You already know that change may involve a period of uncertainty for all. You role as a confident and visible leader through strategic change can be enhanced by setting realistic targets and then collectively achieving them.

Reaching each target can give a great sense of satisfaction to your staff and help to inspire confidence. For example, if you set an interim target for your team to decrease their processing time by 4 percent during year one and they achieve a figure of 4.5 percent, they are more likely to give that little bit extra in the following years to help you reach your overall objective.

Measure progress with the following:

• Identify the final target of your strategic plan -- what are you aiming to achieve, and by when.
• Identify important targets along the way, and key turning points along the journey.
• If your targets or milestones are far apart, look for intermediary targets.
• Put in place a system to report the progress toward each target.
• When you achieve a target, share it with your team and celebrate success.

ACTION POINT: Keep your team motivated by celebrating milestones when they are achieved.