When you’re stuck in Owner Overload, the road to breaking free can seem long – and it can be hard to stay on track with business improvement projects when the daily demands of running your business are unrelenting. (Ask me how I know!) One of the best ways to combat this is by embracing the 90-Day Sprint. 90 days is long enough to make a LOT of progress, but short enough to provide a sense of urgency and focus. When I work with my clients, we begin by establishing a 3-Year vision. What do you REALLY want? Then we work backwards, reverse-engineering a roadmap to get there. Once the roadmap is in place, we’re clear to commit 100% to the first 90 days in front of us. The 90-Day Sprint is where the action happens.
How to run a 90-Day Sprint
Successful sprints follow a 3-step process that is repeated every 90 days.
1. Planning
Planning is about answering questions. Bring your team together and consider: What are we going to accomplish during this sprint? What are the goals and objectives? How do we break tasks down into bite-sized pieces? Who will do what? When? The better your planning process, the easier your execution. While you might not stick to the plan 100% - the process of planning better prepares you for action. You’ll have a realistic idea of the work involved, your team will understand their role and their teammates’ roles, and you’ll have uncovered (and dealt with) any anticipated issues.
2. Execution
This is where the work happens! Successful sprint execution includes the following:
- Regular short meetings to update each other on progress, identify any obstacles, and adjust the plan as necessary.
- Synergistic collaboration. Working together as a team to deliver results that are better than what lone individuals could achieve.
- Tiny celebrations along the way to recognize progress and keep everyone engaged and motivated.
By coming together as a team on a regular basis, you keep focus and energy on the project. One of the biggest mistakes owners make is letting these meetings slip. It’s easy to skip a progress meeting when there are so many urgent issues calling for attention. But without regular focus on the project, you lose momentum and accountability. This is one of the reasons why engaging with a business coach/advisor is so helpful. They provide outside accountability and perspective to keep these important, but not urgent projects moving forward.
3. Review
Your review is a chance to learn and improve. What went well? What could be done better next time? How can we improve our process? How could we communicate better? It’s also an opportunity to celebrate achievements and recognize contributions. Make sure you take time to savor your accomplishments and progress. The end of a sprint can also be a good time to take a short break before repeating the process.
Maintain energy, avoid burnout, and achieve your goal of Business Freedom faster.
Executing a 3-Year vision is a marathon that becomes more manageable when approached as a series of 90-Day Sprints. The shorter time frame provides increased focus, more accountability, and a sense of momentum. It also allows you to learn along the way and make adjustments as necessary. The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be on your way to Business Freedom.