Now that you've established your commitments, it's time to use them to set Strategic Priorities for your business.
Think of Strategic Priorities as statements that indicate the direction you're moving your business.
They don't have to be hyper-specific or include metrics for success. Instead, they should provide direction for the kinds of goals you'll set, the projects you'll complete, and the way you'll position the business throughout the year.
...because you want your life and your business to be moving together—rather than at odds with each other.
Your commitments and your Strategic Priorities do not need to be the same. But they should be complementary.
This year, my commitments are:
The Strategic Priorities for my business are:
The first Strategic Priority is really based on all 3 commitments. As the leader & facilitator behind a network of small business owners, I want to encourage our members to contribute to the community—to share what's working for them. In order to do that, I need to question the "normal" way a leader exerts authority and find ways to level the playing field. I need to embrace the uncertainty of what will happen as more and more members share their own experiences. And, I need to expect success in order to pursue this direction.
The second Strategic Priority is all about questioning normal—and encouraging others to do the same. By examining what our defaults and assumptions are, we can all—as a community—become more open to ideas that fall outside of our comfort zones.
One way businesses grow over time is by refining their positioning little by little.
We learn more about what we do best, who we do it for, why we do it, and how we do it differently. The more we channel that learning into concrete action, systems, and projects, the more our businesses can stand out.
The strategic priorities for my company this year reflect a better understanding of how we want to lead in the market.