Some people set goals on a daily basis-some, on a weekly basis. Your weekly team meetings should stay true to the goals you set both strategically and tactically A lot of companies have weekly meetings, and often those meetings are more reactive than proactive. Many of them use it to touch base. In large companies, that may work well for the staff. In a smaller, more entrepreneurial setting, like a dance studio, these meetings have to take on more of a goal focus. New skills and good habits only develop through a process. The goal for you is to create continuous and incremental improvement. Each week your company begins to sell a little better, market a little better, manage a little better. This has to come from the goals you review in your meetings.

The only way you can grow your company into a bigger and bigger powerhouse is by involving your staff in the improvement process. As the leader, you set the pace in the organization. If you want a finely tuned team, you must include them in this continuous learning environment. If you are a one-person army, then work on the goals yourself-just make sure that you stop everything once per week to work on creating steady and miraculous improvement.

A great place to start is by taking a blank sheet of paper and writing down the word Goals at the top. Under your goals, write down the gross revenue you would like to be generating through the business in three years from now, go ahead be bold! Under that, write the personal income you would like to be drawing from the business, go ahead be really bold!! Now write down how many hours per week you would like to work while making that money. Then write down how many weeks vacation you would like to take.

Now at the top of the page, on the left, write down the word Current. Under that write down the current numbers for each of those things: 1) Gross revenues. 2) Personal Revenues. 3) Hours worked. 4) Vacations taken.

Finally, in the center at the top of the page write down the word Action Plan. Goals focus the mind. Studies consistently show that those who have goals and read them on a regular basis engage the subconscious mind to assist in achieving those goals. Do not underestimate the power of organizing yourself in this way. Your brain makes 8 billion calculations per second and can do amazing things if you focus it.

There are only eight things that drive any business. Set goals for each of these areas every quarter and watch how you systematically improve your business: o Marketing o Strategy o Capital (Human, Intellectual, and Financial) o Business Model (Shape, what you want it to be.) o Relationships (Are you capitalizing on every relationship, from your clients to your vendors, to your friends, associates and business contacts?) o Distribution Channels o Products and Services (Create constant improvement in this arena.) o Procedures and Processes, Policies (This is what makes a business that eventually can grow up and run without you.)

 Goals are a powerful device in any company. Set goals for gaining clients, set goals for specific marketing efforts, what you'll do, and when you'll do it.