As I write this it is closing in quickly on the end of May and Memorial Day Weekend is practically here. June marks the end of the 2nd quarter and many people are thinking of vacations and seeing their kids out of school for the summer. In the business world, companies are evaluating where they stand relative to their annual goals and what needs to happen in the next two quarters to put the company in a position to meet the goals they set last Fall.
As an individual I find myself evaluating my performance up to this point and asking if I am on track to meet my goals as well. In my business, we have leading indicators and metrics that are predictive of our level of performance. I am sure this is not unique to the work that I do and that you also have an idea of where you stand relative to your annual goals as well. The end of May is a good time to dust off your annual goals and evaluate where you stand in relation to where you should be at the midway point.
I imagine you will find that some goals you are ahead of pace, some behind, and some right on track. If you are ahead of pace or on par then good for you! Take some time to celebrate the fact that you have done good work up to this point and think about what you can do to continue on this path. You might even set a little bit of a stretch goal for yourself beyond what you have as an annual goal. Why not shoot for the stars if you are ahead at the midway point? It helps to have a stretch target to keep your juices flowing.
If you find yourself behind pace then it is time for some self-reflection. What have you done well and where have you fallen short? What changes are you going to make to your approach, effort, attitude, etc.? Now is the time to commit to these changes and implement them in your daily routine. If you need help identifying the root cause of why you are falling short of expectations then seek out the counsel of someone you trust to give you an honest assessment of your work up to this point. This may be your boss, a peer, or maybe a mentor.
Sometimes we won’t be able to meet our initial goals no matter how much we change ourselves or our approach. In this case, you should set a new annual goal that is more attainable and hold yourself accountable for reaching it instead of your original goal. In this case, you still have something to shoot for and can use this as motivation going forward.
Essentially you should try to use this time of year for evaluation of where you stand relative to your goals and make changes that are appropriate to keep you on the right track or get you back on track. Good luck to you in the second half of 2021!
Written by: Steve Sanders, VP/GM of Industrial
Steve Sanders leads the Industrial Recruitment team at TYGES and has
been with the organization since 2003. Prior to joining TYGES, Steve
worked in engineering and supply chain roles with Honeywell International
Inc. and Deere & Co. He has first-hand experience working in the
automotive, chemical, and off-highway equipment manufacturing industries.
Steve’s philosophy is simple. He demands honesty, integrity, and open
communications from both himself, his clients, and the candidates that he
works with. He strives to be a source of competitive advantage to his clients
and seeks to build strategic partnerships. He is committed to exceeding
customers’ expectations by providing quick, professional service. He
believes in sharing both the good and the not so good. He believes in doing
the right thing, even when it is not the easiest path. Steve is energized by
finding that perfect fit individual and introducing them to the client.
“We’re here to make good things happen for other people.“
