Challenges, beyond January 1

I thank Biz talk readers for the encouraging feedback which keeps my energy level high to continue this effort despite multiplying challenges, especially in terms of time management.

Every year, business leaders begin January with a series of events including celebrations, recognising and rewarding employees, goal setting, strategy formulation and alignment, motivational programs and draw up plans to accomplish goals in the coming months.

Communication can be the first step to making real, meaningful changes - changes for improvement. And then managing the mindset of the employees right throughout the year. Every single day is critical, hence maintaining high energy levels is crucial for business success.

Opportunity

Whether we like it or not, this year will be tougher than last year. Even if the local macro environment improves expanding our markets, each business will have more competition. Competition intensified over the past few years with the dawn of permanent peace.

Even if none of these work as barriers, meeting your stakeholder's mounting expectations will pose incremental challenges. If you raise your own expectations on top of the demanded expectations by others you will challenge yourself to get the best out of you for an improved bottom-line.

So it's not doing the same thing we did last year but doing it differently for the same result. If we want more, we have to change at a higher degree. Communicate the challenge, expectation and support to the employees to perform.

Clearly explain to each employee what is expected of him or her during the year. Remind them why he or she was given that specific role. Raise your level of expectation aligning with the challenge and goals. If your employees see you expect more out of them within realistic boundaries, they'll be encouraged to be committed.

On the other hand, if your employees know that management thinks that they cannot perform at a high level, they won't be motivated to do any more than the least amount of work necessary to get their pay.

Set specific communication times and timelines. To run a successful business, the employer and employee must be on the same page, working towards a common goal. It's necessary to have open lines of communication.

Motivation

Deciding how often to meet and review - whether on a weekly or monthly basis - will streamline issues and questions and ensure that important items are addressed and timely decisions taken, keeping energy levels of employees high until December 31, 2015.

Motivation is key to tap into the inner power of people. Motivation is two-fold - internal and external. Internal is self and external is by others. What is more fruitful and sustainable is one's own personal motivational force.

Creating an organisational environment within which employees can gain job satisfaction is the only way for inner motivation of employees. For the employer this means optimum realisable quality results through people. Self-motivation is more long lasting and effective - it's a win-win situation for the employee and employer.

Inspire self-motivated staff by trusting them to work on their own initiatives rather than leader imposed initiatives. It's a mind game and it all depends on how you manage the mindset of the employees as a leader.