Memo from the CEO about Planning for Success in 2009

Every year I prepare an operating corporate plan for the coming year. When I went over the ‘08 plan, I was amazed at how much we actually accomplished, based on what we had in our written plan. Setting goals, writing them down with dates and assigned responsibilities simply works. These are some common elements of our leadership training.

With this in mind and realizing everyone has valuable ideas for the future of our company, it makes a lot of sense to get as much input as possible on how we should allocate our resources for 2009. What we need is three to five ideas from each of you on what you feel are the most important things we need to accomplish in '09 and what support you need to make them happen.

The above is the start of a memo from a CEO client of mine who has a vision of where he wants the company in five years. His on going challenge is to inspire and motivate his people to get behind him and develop a first class company that will take care of each person's own personal and career aspirations. This is a company that believes that job security is achieved by growing a company that is profitable so it will continue providing good paying jobs, excellent benefits and corporate training to take them to the next career level. How well are you planned to grow your business in 2009? Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself:

• What are some of the things you need your people doing better?
• How will they learn to do that?
• Can they achieve your expectations by simply doing more of the same?
• Is a change necessary?
• If they performed to your expectations what conservatively would it add to increase your annual sales?
• What have you done to date to make the changes a reality?
• If last year's sales don't increase will that be okay?
• What happens if you do nothing?
• Are you planning any corporate training to address this?
• Are you doing any leadership training to strengthen your team?

Someone in your industry will have great gains in 2009. They will do it with a unique and innovative approach that will drive the company team. They will inspire their people and the result will be positive attitudes that are reflected to your customers. They will also develop productive and planned behaviors in their people and this will make each day one step closer to the success they had planned for. Their plans to use corporate training as the vehicle to deliver those values, is key to their success.

I'm sure many of you don't believe this. That's okay, I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to the ones who do believe in corporate and leadership training.

Sandler Training - Sales Training & Corporate Training - Chicago IL,
Blueengine@sandler.com (847)956-3313