Turn Resolutions into Goals

Many of us made some resolutions for 2017; some personal and some may have been work-related. If you didn’t make a work-related resolution this year, it may be a good idea to start. A resolution can also be considered a goal, which may connect more in your workplace. While your resolutions at home may be to hit the gym and lay off the cheeseburgers or finally take that trip to Maui, work resolutions can be goal-oriented to help your fleet be as safe and successful as possible.

It’s not too late to make your resolutions or make a few adjustments if you need to. Have you started off on the right track? Have you gone completely off your rails?

Accomplishing Your Goals

It’s now a few weeks into January, and if you have made your resolutions it’s time to take stock of where you stand (don’t wait until the end of the year for a status check!)

One of the first steps to accomplishing a resolution is making an obtainable one. While every fleet manager would all love to completely eliminate accidents, get rid of all driver downtime, and secure his or her jobs well into the future, making unobtainable goals and resolutions can sabotage you in the long run. If a goal is frankly impossible, you will not only waste your time trying to accomplish it but also lose heart on making any progress happen.

Some advice on creating obtainable resolutions and goals:

1. Keep it real: While we all want zero accidents, is it a realistic goal? Try for a percentage reduction, starting low and reaching higher as progress is reached.
2. Create short- and long-term goals: Reach for the stars with your goals in the long-term, but in the short-term, create achievable goals and determine a way to measure progress.
3. Keep an eye on the prize: While it’s easy to set goals in January and forget about them until December that is likely a recipe for failure. If you don’t check in on your goals often, you won’t know if you need to work harder or change your focus to accomplish them until it’s too late.
4. Change your perception: Instead of a “to do” list, I make a “to accomplish list” every day. At the end of the day, I see what I “accomplished,” instead of what I’ve “done.” It completely changes my perception of daily tasks, and even if I don’t check everything off my list, I feel like I accomplished something.
5. Never give up: If you feel like you just aren’t hitting your goals, don’t give up. Go back to step 1 and ask yourself first, did I keep it real? Is this a realistic goal or should I adjust it to something I can actually accomplish?

Here are a few obtainable resolutions/goals a fleet manager could make:

1. Continue education as it relates to fleet management.
2. Reduce fleet accident rate by X%.
3. Increase driver productivity by X%.
4. Get out into the field more and interact with drivers (set a monthly or quarterly goal for site visits and/or driver ride-alongs).

Celebrate Good Times

Celebrate the small steps and short-term goals constantly. Instead of worrying that you have “only” reduced accidents by X% remember that every reduction in accident rates is a possible life saved and a step toward accomplishing your long-term resolutions and goals. Do your best every day and make an effort toward at least one of your goals.

So, what are your resolutions or goals for 2017? Share them in the comments or shoot me an e-mail!

Lauren.Fletcher@bobit.com