The 3 Simplest Ways to Stay Connected With What Matters the Most Today

Where are we going? Why? How are we getting there? Are we there yet? These sound like questions your kids will ask on long road trips. They are also questions leaders need to address with their teams on a consistent basis. We have a deep human need to feel secure in our future and the path that we are on – as individuals and teams.

In study after study we conduct with our clients, communication rises up as a significant pain point. More specifically, too often there is a gap between the existence of a vision, values, and growth plan (or strategic plan) and the consistent reflection by leaders on these guidance points.

For example, in one recent study that entreQuest conducted, more than 90% of participants agreed with the statement that the organizational vision had been communicated to them. Also, nearly 80% of participants were clear on the strategic plan, which is on the high side for our typical findings. Yet, less than 30% of respondents use the strategic plan when planning priorities and activities for the week ahead. Only 18% of respondents indicated the strategic plan is often present in discussions with coworkers. This disconnect between knowing what matters most and using it in daily (or weekly) conversations and priority planning is the communication gap that leaders need to close.

Committing to more consistent communication and alignment of individual and team priorities and activities is not as hard as it seems – but it is a new habit that requires the same intentional focus and actions that you would implement to build healthy habits in other contexts, like consistently walking 10,000 steps each day or adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Here are few ways to get started:

• Make it a 30-day challenge. Reflect on how actions or priorities connect back to the organizational vision, values, and/or strategic plan out loud with someone on your team daily for 30 days. Try something new.Try something new.
• Make it a ritual, rhythm, or routine. If doing something every day seems unachievable, try identifying a specific rhythm that works for you and do it – consistently. Ask a team member to help you stay accountable as you build this new habit. Or, build structures that will serve as cues and rewards for the new habit – check out The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg for more on this.
• Make it fun. The key is to start with a mindset of gratitude. For example, thinking “we GET TO tackle this challenging problem that is an opportunity for us to advance on our path to achieving our vision,” creates a mindset of abundance that will naturally lead to more creative and fun opportunities. Our own Whitney Sibol has additional insights on the benefits of gratitude.

There’s a difference between identifying priorities and consistent reflection on how your (and your organization’s) activities align with these priorities. Make it a challenge, make it a ritual, and make it fun to ensure that you connect back to what matters most.