We all have a specific goal in mind we aim to achieve. It is the whole point of why we do what we do. And that is why we have business planning processes to help us prepare and work towards accomplishing our goals. Now, the question is: Is your planning process effectively steering you in the right direction?

We're back with the legendary business coach and Human to Human founder, Michael Back. He's here to talk about the process Google uses to set goals. He tackles how financial advisers can apply the same goal-setting process to help small businesses grow. We also discuss what Michael sees as a must-do for financial advisers in 2020 and beyond to produce tangible statistics on the advice provided.

If you or any of your colleagues want to make your business planning process world-class, then you should not miss this episode. Sit back and tune in to the show!

About Our Guest:

Michael Back is the legendary business coach and self-proclaimed Customer Experience Enthusiast. Michael is the founder of Human to Human, where he helps financial advisers to set goals, track progress and facilitate implementation towards success. He has worked in the financial industry for over 12 years coaching over 75 financial advice businesses.

Achieve Your Business Goals in 90 Days Making Better Decisions in Business

• It's impossible to make better decisions without an endpoint.
• The first step is to realise the goal and what's important to the business.
• All team members should have a connection to the goal you're trying to achieve.
• Have better conversations by asking better questions from the outset.

Adding Value to Your Team

• The right mindset: Be brave, take risks, and leave your comfort zone.
• Businesses struggle when they stay stagnant and keep doing things the same way.
• "You can't solve a problem with the same thinking that created it."

Setting Goals: The OKR Framework

• Google, Intel, Spotify, LinkedIn, and Airbnb, among others, use this to align their team to a bigger version of success they're looking to achieve.
• The concept: Collaborative business planning within four to six hours, based on a series of 90-day plans.
• In 90 days, you get to know what problems you need to solve and what metrics you need to change and implement the solution in the next 90 days.
• It gets the whole team involved in deciding the business focus.
• It is an excellent bridge to give people accountability for projects they're not sure would work. Consequently, it allows teams to make better plans and action steps through the acquired data.

OKR: Objective

• Decide on the direction and envision the bigger picture version of what you want success to look like.

OKR: Key Results

• There's no point to having objectives if you can't measure them.
• Key results are the specific numbers that are 100% measurable and verified. This data keeps you updated on whether you're on track towards your goals.
• Its role is to reduce the average implementation time.

Brainstorming Action

• You want the OKRs in a format that's good to go. Brainstorm with your team about the actions they need to take to achieve your goal.
• Get them to come up with ideas for shifting the key result numbers.
• Know which ideas you're going to filter in and out over the next 90 days.
• Do not overestimate what you can achieve in a small amount of time. Be aware of what is realistic. Determine the items you need to take off your list.
• Environment and immersive experience are vital in igniting creative space.

2020 Focus

• Get tangible statistics through measuring quantitative data of your client's feelings before and after the first meeting.
• Through this, you can articulate your value to your clients, and you get to gauge how they're feeling.
• This can be done through online survey tools or forms.

Resources

• Linchpin by Seth Godin
• Mastering The Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish
• The Beginner's Guide to OKR by Felipe Castro
• The Third Space by Dr Adam Fraser

Check out the Human to Human website. You can also connect with Michael on LinkedIn.

Listen to more conversations with pioneers of the new world of financial advice on the Goals-Based Advice Podcast. You can also listen to the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Follow our Facebook page for updates. 

If you have more questions, don't forget to reach out to me on LinkedIn and to send an email at [email protected]

Thanks for tuning in!