Comments on: Accountability Part 4: Crystal Ball and Chain http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html Exploring the trends driving small business Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:39:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Accountability Part 4: Crystal Ball and Chain http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-656312 Accountability Part 4: Crystal Ball and Chain Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:18:58 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-656312 [...] is the fourth of a five-part series for Small Business Trends on accountability in the new world, the increasing need for fundamental accountability in small [...] [...] is the fourth of a five-part series for Small Business Trends on accountability in the new world, the increasing need for fundamental accountability in small [...]

]]> By: Amanda http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-654609 Amanda Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:02:42 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-654609 Setting realistic goals makes everyone happier in the long run. The employer and the staff feel more satisfied and motivated when goals are met and even exceeded. Setting realistic goals makes everyone happier in the long run. The employer and the staff feel more satisfied and motivated when goals are met and even exceeded.

]]> By: Small Business Marketing http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-654591 Small Business Marketing Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:45:00 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-654591 As usual, very good information on the planning process from the master of business planning. Thanks As usual, very good information on the planning process from the master of business planning.

Thanks

]]> By: Amit Mullerpattan http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-654588 Amit Mullerpattan Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:06:47 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-654588 Tim, Excellent series! Setting up systems to accurately report facts/metrics avoids opinionated discussions that go nowhere. Even before setting up goals, I have found it a useful exercise to look at how the incentives are aligned for all parties involved. With a team I led earlier, we had to once find a cheaper alternative after a software product vendor hiked the license fee. Once we announced a % of the amount saved as a reward bonus for the team, and openly communicated the amounts involved, the reactions changed! The same team that thought open source alternatives were not as feature rich, and resisted the move earlier as the management's cost cutting gimmick, gladly evaluated several alternative products and found a near match that they liked. Thanks Amit www.p2w2.com Tim,

Excellent series!

Setting up systems to accurately report facts/metrics avoids opinionated discussions that go nowhere. Even before setting up goals, I have found it a useful exercise to look at how the incentives are aligned for all parties involved.

With a team I led earlier, we had to once find a cheaper alternative after a software product vendor hiked the license fee. Once we announced a % of the amount saved as a reward bonus for the team, and openly communicated the amounts involved, the reactions changed! The same team that thought open source alternatives were not as feature rich, and resisted the move earlier as the management’s cost cutting gimmick, gladly evaluated several alternative products and found a near match that they liked.

Thanks
Amit
http://www.p2w2.com

]]> By: Martin Lindeskog http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-654571 Martin Lindeskog Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:04:03 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-654571 Tim, Have you studied Edwin A. Locke's goal setting theory? I have read several of his books and listened to his courses. http://aamam.notlong.com Tim,

Have you studied Edwin A. Locke’s goal setting theory? I have read several of his books and listened to his courses. http://aamam.notlong.com

]]> By: Anita Campbell http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/02/accountability-part-4-crystal-ball-and-chain.html#comment-654561 Anita Campbell Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:27:12 +0000 http://smallbiztrends.com/?p=10852#comment-654561 Hi Tim, I find that the more time I spend thinking about what company and staff goals should be, the more "intelligent" they are and the more they deliver to the bottom line. And usually they are more realistic for those charged with meeting them, too. Whenever I did a shallow, surface job on goal setting, the goals would tend to be more unrealistic. And we'd often end up ignoring them, because they were meaningless. Bottom line: it pays to spend time and give things the attention they deserve, when setting goals. -- Anita Hi Tim, I find that the more time I spend thinking about what company and staff goals should be, the more “intelligent” they are and the more they deliver to the bottom line. And usually they are more realistic for those charged with meeting them, too.

Whenever I did a shallow, surface job on goal setting, the goals would tend to be more unrealistic. And we’d often end up ignoring them, because they were meaningless.

Bottom line: it pays to spend time and give things the attention they deserve, when setting goals.

– Anita

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