A countdown to success can provide employees with a better understanding of your important goals and tasks. These require a higher level of focus. It can also be a fun way to reframe important items. And these countdowns can prevent what might be perceived as repetitive nagging about certain issues that are important to you.
Here are three ways to use a countdown to success to improve your business:
Make a Process Easier
When I worked in TV news, a video editor would often put together my stories. After writing the story, I would record my audio tracks, and then give them to the editor, who would then combine them with cover video and soundbites.
I would include a countdown for each track. I would say, “Track one, coming in 3-2-1,” and then I would say the scripted lines. If I stumbled on a take, I might add, “Take two.” That way, the editor would easily know what audio was meant to be used and where it belonged in the story.
News stories have to be put together very quickly and clearly stating what you want is critical.
In your business, are there things you can do, that can speed up a process, make it easier, or remove doubt?
Raising Awareness of a Challenge
We’ve all seen the safety signs that say things like, “121 days since the last accident.” This helps raise awareness for something important to the business.
You may want to slightly alter the message and make it more like a countdown to success. Instead of counting up, set a goal, and then count down from it.
Let’s say during your busy sales season, you count down the days to its end. Employees are given a daily reminder that it’s an important time.
Another strategy sees you count down the number of times a milestone has been reached. For instance, the number of times when daily sales were 5% higher than the previous year. Beforehand you set a goal and that becomes your starting number.
Keep in mind that with goals, it’s best to make them challenging yet achievable. And you may want some sort of perk or reward offered if the countdown is completed successfully.
Out of Office Countdown
You want employees to enjoy time off from work, while making sure their absences are not too disruptive to the business. Why not create a countdown to success for their vacations?
Define a process for what people have to do before they leave. These are those little things, like telling colleagues and important customers when you’ll be out and whom they should contact in your absence.
During busy times, these simple notifications can be forgotten and usually that leaves a mess for someone else to clean up. Why not make it easy for employees to understand what must be done and make sure it’s all accomplished.
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