Have you made a New Year’s resolution for your organization? For example, “This year, I’m going to have weekly staff meetings and keep everyone informed,” “I’m going to delegate more,” “I’m going to take my full vacation,” or my personal favourite, “I’m going to replace that old accounting system.”

By the end of January, corporate resolutions often suffer the same fate as those that are personal. Like so many other good intentions they start strong, then within a month they get passed over and die. 

Let’s pause for a moment and ask why.

Overwhelm

Resolutions can be like potato chips; it’s hard to stop at just one. But the more resolutions you add to the list the less likely you are to accomplish any of them. Think of someone you know attempting to lose weight, stop smoking, managing their work/life balance and saving for their retirement at the same time. Trying to fix every problem at once is simply impossible. Pick one issue, preferably one that’s been bothering you for years, and imagine how wonderful you will feel when it is resolved. When you have a clear picture of what you’re about to tackle, put the other resolutions out of your mind.

Action item: Write a brief description of that big issue that has been bothering you for years. Place it in a spot where you will see it regularly as a reminder of what you have set out to achieve. 

Important vs. urgent

New Year’s Resolution lists tend to be populated with big ticket items rather than tasks that would show up on your to-do list. They are important, but not urgent. It doesn’t matter whether they get done this week or next. So they’re easy to put off. And put off. And put off.

Action item: Pick a quiet(er) time of year and schedule a management planning meeting to address that big ticket item. Schedule it now so you can get on with the urgent stuff.

Should vs. will

Another challenge with New Year’s resolutions is translating a vague idea of what you should do into a definite goal. Maybe you want to delegate more, manage the organization’s risks, computerize the finances or update the building. Each of those goals can be overwhelming all by themselves! And the reality may be that when you actually look into what’s involved it may not prove to be such a big issue after all. Maybe you’re fine at delegation and just need to give people more notice. Maybe there is someone on the board who can walk your team through risk management. Maybe all the current system needs is an upgrade or an overhaul by an experienced accountant. And maybe you can find funding to get an engineering firm in to do a capital reserve review for the building. 

Action item: Most experts will give you 20 minutes for a general discussion about an issue.  After all, they want your business. Get a general idea about how to address that big issue that’s been bothering you for years and set the agenda for the management planning meeting.

Resolution vs. plan

A resolution is a statement of intent; it’s not a plan. With the help of your team, create a SMART resolution: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Then you will be able to . . .

Stop!!

We interrupt this article for an important message. Not everyone works in the analytical way described above. A lot of people — particularly in the charitable sector — identify more with right brain holistic than with left brain analytical. 

If your to-do list keeps growing; if you are very good at starting projects but not so good at finishing them; if you use intuition more than logic: there is another way. You need a partner-in-crime, a co-conspirator, someone you respect who can help you get things done.

The person doesn’t have to know a lot about your organization or have a lot of ideas. They don’t have to be brimming with enthusiasm and vision — that’s your job! They just have to be good at prioritizing and planning so they can keep you on track. Set up a one hour weekly meeting and guard the time religiously. That’s your time to write your plan for the next two weeks.

At each meeting spend time looking at what happened to last week’s plan. That’s your time to review the kinds of interruptions you experience and to get realistic about what you can actually accomplish in a week. Then look at the next two weeks with a focus on delegation and getting things done. Remember to listen and take what you hear to heart. 

Conclusion

Whatever type of manager you are, if you know what you can realistically accomplish and how then that big issue that has been bothering you for years will become a thing of the past.

Bill Kennedy is a Toronto-based chartered accountant with Energized Accounting, focusing on financial and reporting systems in the charitable sector. Find out more at www.EnergizedAccounting.ca; follow Bill @Energized