Have you looked at the calendar recently? It is already October. If you are a leader with annual goals, you only have one quarter left to accomplish them. The clock is ticking on both your professional and personal yearly goals. There are less than 100 days until the year ends, which is not much time. It is time to pick up the pace if you are already behind in making suitable progress on your goals. Let’s discuss a tool to help you finish the year on a high note with a solid last quarter—no time to waste. It is time for you to complete a quarterly preview.
How is 2024 going so far?
It is hard to believe that 2024 is already almost over. You may be scratching your head, wondering where the time went. The main question worth pondering is how 2024 is going for you. If you are like me, you have made solid progress on some of your goals for the year. Unfortunately, it is not all good news. I have made little to no progress on several goals. Well, it is time to do something about that. Michael Hyatt’s quarterly preview is the perfect choice to determine your focus for the final quarter. If you have never heard of Michael Hyatt, check out this previous blog post.
What is a quarterly preview?
Michael Hyatt created the Full Focus Planner and the system you use to get the most from it. I use the planner and will not detail how it works. Instead, I will describe one of the critical components of his system—the quarterly preview. The quarterly preview allows leaders to reflect on the quarter before and prepare for the one ahead. It is not an overly complex activity, but it does take over an hour to complete. The best way to describe the quarterly preview is to walk you through the process. This blog is timely since the next quarter starts soon.
How do you complete a quarterly preview?
Completing a quarterly preview has six primary steps, which are described below. If you use the Full Focus Planner, there are pages in the back for these steps.
- Write down your top wins. Start your quarterly preview positively by listing your wins from the previous three months. What is a win? Anything that went well.
- Measure your progress against your goals. Review your goals and honestly assess your progress. This step is crucial for making adjustments.
- Evaluate how your quarter went. Think about the various things that happened during the last 90 days. Ponder questions like what worked? What didn’t and why?
- Make adjustments for the next quarter. You want to keep doing successful activities and change what did not work. You may also need to modify some of your goals. More about that in a moment.
- Look at your calendar for the next three months. It is essential to look ahead and see what activities you have planned. If you have schedule conflicts, now is the time to fix them, not later. Keep an eye out for weeks or months that are completely packed. Remember that the last 90 days of the year usually include many holidays.
- Identify your top 3 goals for the next quarter. This step is the most important. Take time to identify the three most critical upcoming activities.
So it is clear—you do not need a Full Focus Planner to execute your preview. You can use whatever planner or system works best for you. Some leaders may prefer a digital format, while others like analog. I write down the results of my preview in my Full Focus Planner. It helps me remember them for future reference and track my progress during the year’s final three months.
A quarterly weekly preview helps you focus on the future.
The most important result of this preview is your top three goals. These activities are your top priorities for the last 90 days of the year. They will help you determine the best way to invest your time. You may want to postpone or delay an annual goal to 2025 if you do not have time to focus on it. It is better to achieve a few goals than stretch yourself thin by trying to accomplish too much. If you are struggling because you have too much on your plate, your top three goals let you focus on what matters most and finish the year on a strong note.
If you chase two rabbits, you will catch neither.
Confuscious
How do you use this powerful leadership tool?
There are two significant benefits of the quarterly preview. First, it enables you to reflect and analyze your results from the previous quarter. You can learn, improve, and make adjustments for the next quarter. It is terrible for you as a leader if you have a rough quarter and do nothing to course-correct your path forward. The second benefit is that this tool prepares you for the quarter ahead. You know what is coming, have thought about it beforehand, and created plans. This proactive approach is intentional and better than responding to events as they unfold without considering what deserves your attention for the rest of the year.
What is the hardest part of the quarterly preview?
If this tool is so effective, you may wonder why more leaders don’t leverage it. There are three reasons why. First, some leaders do not know about the quarterly preview. Second, some leaders prefer to spend all their time future-focused rather than processing the past. They feel it wastes time doing something like the quarterly preview. Third and most importantly, conducting a quarterly preview takes time. You invest more than an hour or two in your quarterly preview. It might take up an entire afternoon if you had a tough quarter or are far behind on your annual goals. However, it is an intelligent way to start the final quarter and end the year on a high note.
ATW! will make you a better leader
I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world desperately needs more great leaders—women and men who lead confidently, clearly, and creatively. It’s time to become the leader your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!