Execution Newsflash! 5 Tips to Help You Pay Special Attention During Weeks 4, 5, and 6

Every quarter is made up of 13 weeks. To be successful, run it like a 13-Week Race. So how is your 13-Week Race coming along? We are about to hit Week 4. In my book, Rhythm, Chapter 11 talks about making adjustments to successfully achieve your plan.  I suggested paying special attention to weeks 4, 5 and 6. Well, we are about to enter week 4!  Have you started on all your priorities yet? Sometimes there are a couple of priorities that we don’t know how to start, let alone get done! So we put them off, hoping that we will figure it out later. It’s tough, but it's time to ask some teammates for help on those priorities that you have not started. It does not get easier, so time to get going. Here are 5 tips for weeks 4, 5 and 6.    

1. Start working on priorities that you’ve pushed back  

If you have priorities that you have not started, because they are too difficult, or you have trouble visualizing how to do them, it’s time to start. It does not get any easier, so you might as well get going. Ask your teammates for advice. Bring it to your weekly meeting and ask for ideas and help. Don’t be shy, we all need help to get going sometimes.    

2. Priorities statused Yellow or Red  

If you are not on plan to be successful on a priority or two, it's OK.  It’s only week 4. So, brainstorm some actions to get you unstuck and moving again. Ask your teammates to help you brainstorm. Call your coach. Phone a buddy. Use a lifeline. Time to get unstuck and get going.    

3. Check those running on auto-pilot  

You might have some priorities that you think are pretty much going to get done. Check in on those, too, so that you don’t get blindsided or surprised later on in the quarter.    

4. Check your leading indicator KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)  

Are your leading indicators working well? If they are, the initial results that you are seeing now in week 4 or 5 should have been indicated by your leading indicator KPI. If not, then rethink the KPI that you are using as a leading indicator.    

5. Do you need an Adjustment Meeting?  

Is anything not going well that you need to gather your team and spend a couple of hours on to rethink or come up with Plan B? I call these Adjustment Meetings. When you do not feel that you are on track to achieve your plan, it's time to have an Adjustment Meeting. Come up with ways to adjust your execution so that you can in fact achieve your plan for the quarter.