ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH YOUR BUSINESS GOALS?
The first quarter of 2018 is rapidly coming to an end. What steps have you taken to achieve the goals you’ve set for your business this year? How much progress have you made? Have you already logged a string of successes, or are you struggling? Business owners and entrepreneurs set their sights on a number of goals every year. The problem is that a lot of those goals are left unaccomplished due to flaws in the planning stage. Here are some common goal-setting mistakes. Where Many Businesses Fall Short, Here’s How You Can Succeed • Not defining the goals in a way you, and anyone in your organization, can clearly understand • Not having a tracking system in place to monitor and review progress As you work toward your goals, it’s critical to celebrate the smaller milestones along the way. Recognizing achievements keeps your team energized and motivated. As part of the celebration, discuss what still needs to be done to accomplish big-picture goals. If you find yourself or your team falling short of expectations, use this as a learning opportunity. Evaluate your progress and see if you can identify any roadblocks. Did you give yourself and your team enough resources? Were goals miscommunicated? Did changes in your business, your community, or the economy affect your goals? How can you get back on track? If you need to make changes or recalibrate — do it! The longer you wait to adapt to changing circumstances, the longer it will take to find the right course. Even the best-laid plans can be disrupted by unforeseen circumstances. It’s up to you and your team to embrace change. It’s not uncommon for marketing strategies to evolve over the course of a year. You may discover that certain aspects of your referral campaign aren’t working. Trimming the fat isn’t necessarily easy, but taking the time to do so will set you up for better results in the long run. Don’t be afraid to make decisive cuts. If a strategy or a goal simply wasn’t a good fit, say goodbye and revisit it later. For now, take some time to review your Q1 progress. What do you need to do to make Q2 — and the rest of 2018 — a smashing success? • • • Setting goals that are too lofty or unrealistic Not taking the proper steps to see goals through Not working together as a team to achieve goals
International Women’s Day, celebrated March 8, is a worldwide event that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while also calling for gender equality. This day is not affiliated with any one group, but it brings together governments, women’s organizations, corporations, and charities. It’s difficult to say when International Women’s Day began. Its roots can be traced back to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City, demanding voting rights, better pay, and shorter working hours. A year later, the first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States on Feb. 28. Then, in 1910, Clara Zetkin, leader of the Social Democratic Party in Germany, suggested the idea of an International Women’s Day. A conference of more than 100 women from 17 countries agreed with Zetkin, and in 1911, on March 19, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than 1 million women and men attended rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, and hold public office. In 1913, the day of celebration was changed to March 8, and in 1975, the United Nations officially recognized the holiday. In 1996, the United Nations commenced the adoption of an annual theme, the first of which was “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.” In each subsequent year, a new theme was chosen to give the holiday more direction. Recent themes include “Empower Rural Women — End Poverty and Hunger” and “A Promise Is a Promise — Time for Action to End Violence Against Women.” Those who celebrate International Women’s Day aim to achieve full gender equality for women around the world. Because of the recent Hollywood film industry scandals, and because the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report found that gender parity is at least 200 years away, this year’s theme was “Press for Progress.” Events were held in Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, the United Republic of Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and in cities all across the United States. The world has witnessed significant change and a shift in attitude in regard to women’s equality. However, we still have a long way to go. Those who celebrate International Women’s Day strive to make sure girls’ futures are bright, equal, safe, and rewarding.
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