(Time to read this Blog is about 2 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Quote of the week:
   “Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, generic holiday celebration or non-event of your choice!  As long as it includes  joy, kindness and gratitude, I’m all for it.” 
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. The world’s easiest and best Shortbread Cookies.   Holiday time is cookie time! To download my recipe for the best ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ shortbread cookies you’ll ever make, click here.
    
3. On what will you focus your time in 2023? Here’s a quick insight that could make you a more effective manager and leader in 2023.  First, make a list of 3 or 4 activities that currently take up a lot of your time that could be delegated to someone else in your organization.  What coaching and encouragement might they need to take on this new responsibly and deliver great outcomes?
    
   Next, make a list of 3 or 4 key activities that you will spend more time on.  Activities that will grow the business, strengthen your team and improve your bottom line.
    
   To help you with this important exercise, click here to download my Biz Tool #B-26 on ‘How to delegate, get more done and grow your people…without losing control.’

Now, to this week’s important topic:

An important Communications Commitment for 2023:

Every business should be updating and reminding their Team 4 times a year on the following 4 topics:

1. Our commitments for the year to sales, profitability, customer value & experiences, the Team and our culture, to our community and the planet. This includes a reminder of our values, ethics and commitment to sustainability.
2. How we’re doing in delivering on those commitments so far this year. Specifically, what we’ve done well, where we need to improve, and what we’re all doing to fix what needs fixing…and by when.
3. Specifically, how they’re doing as an individual Team member, how they can improve, what might be ‘next’ for them and how to prepare for that. This includes a conversation about what training, mentoring and encouragement they might need.
4. Who and what we commit to become as a business in 3 to 5 years and the challenges and opportunities that this growth will provide.

Your good people want to know this stuff and they want to know that you know this stuff.  As a business owner, leader or manager a big part of your job is to communicate these 4 things clearly and honestly, at least quarterly.  That’s why you get the big bucks!

And your good people don’t just want to be communicated with.  They want to be listened to, involved, respected and appreciated.  They know stuff and they hate it when you don’t ask…and listen.

So, what will you do in 2023 to better communicate with your Team on these 4 key topics?

That’s it for this week…

Stay safe…live brilliantly!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.