Managing Like an Executive

If you are a business owner, regardless of the size of your organization, you are challenged with keeping every area of your business going. You can not afford to let things slip or go undone. Time is money. There is no time to be ineffective.

There are many courses on how to start a business, the different functions of the business, and all the many things you need to do to be effective. I have not found one that shows you how to plan weekly and manage your organization at a high level view. Well I am going to share why you need such a system and some strategies that makes a great planner.

1.    Easily accessible

Success companies go through strategic planning to chart a path to achieving the vision. But how do you keep that in the forefront as you plan your week. Out of sight out of mine. We have some many people and things that try to pull us in the direction of their interest. Having a way to keep your vision in front of you no matter where you go will help you be successful. It should also be easy to use… a tool that can go with you, be flexible, and fit in anywhere.

2.    Intentionally achieve your goals

We all set goals. If not, we really need to talk. Goals are dreams until we actually do the work. Your planner should ensure you do the work every week. To reach your goals, you have to break them down to achievable tasks that you accomplish step by step. The planner should be an encourager by letting you see how far you have come.

3.    Keep track of all areas of your business

Most planners help you manage your time, keep notes, and jot down to dos. That’s good. However, when you are a business owner you are juggling your operations, finance, business development, products/services, and any other administrative tasks. Rather you are doing it all yourself or have a team, you need to have a high level view of what’s going on. Out of sight, out of mind. You need to also know who you delegated things to. Remember you are the CEO and ultimately responsible for it all.

4.    Help you keep important tasks top of mind.

There are key action items we need to get done. However, we get caught in the weeds. Well I call these must “dos” mountains. They may not be your favorite things to do but they are important to your progress. No matter how busy you get, a planner should be able to quickly get you back on course.

Another important task a planner should be able to help you focus on is sowing seeds. Successful people help… sow into others. If you have a team, to be an effective leader you should invest in your people. People management is a challenge for managers but when done correctly can get you the followers you need to achieve. If you don’t have team members, you can invest in someone else or volunteer. Giving back is a great leadership principle.

5.    Assess your stance

You do not want to go a long period of time without assessing how you are performing. You need to be able to reflect back over your week. Look at what went well, where you need to make adjustments, and how you are progressing with your goals. I call this my weekly reflections (hyperlink to that page). It includes my Next Level Scorecard™ where I check to see if I am excelling, tracking, or lagging.

6.    Has a place to create and envision

I never know when I will be blessed with an idea or new product. My planner has “Visionary Space” (hyperlink to this page) gives me a place to sketch out my thoughts, draw, or map out processes. No limitation of having lined paper. I can even attach or post my illustrations. A great planner should allow you a place to write your vision.

7.    Provide inspiration and affirmations to keep you encouraged.

Last but certainly not least being a business owner can be draining. We have to remain hopeful, encouraged. A good CEO planner should include affirmations and promises to keep you align with the possibilities. I am a Christain and look for inspiration from above. Keeping certain scriptures readily available has help me stay the course.

I have all of these strategies in my new Weekly Strategy Planner™. Sign up here to be the first to know when it’s available. Until then, share why having a planner has helped you.