Many readers wished they had set clearer priorities earlier in the year after our December feature "Your Year In Review: 365 Days That Made A Difference". 

It's not too late for 2006.  You've got 216 days left.  

Let's do a quick mid-year checkup on your results for the first 149 days. 

Feel free to call Leslie or Don at 877-851-0098 if you want to clarify a particular area.

Are you smarter today than you were on December 31, 2005?

1. Experience is a great teacher when you consciously examine what's working and what's not.

   1. What are the five lessons you learned in 2005 that are helping your business succeed in 2006?

2. Doing what you've always done may not help your business run better.

   1. Think about the major products, services and other activities your business has started, stopped, or streamlined so far in 2006.

   2. What revenue, cost, or productivity benefits did you get by making these changes?

3. Successful results happen through effective and active management.

   1. List the key financial and operational indicators that help predict the performance of your business.

   2. Have you checked these indicators every month during 2006?

   3. What actions are you taking as a result?

 Is your business serving customers better in 2006?

1. We bet you started out 2006 with lots of ideas to improve your products and services. 

   1. Think about your team's five best ideas.

   2. We're six months into 2006. How many of these ideas are in place today?

2. We always emphasize the importance of really listening to customers and clients.

   1. How many of your customers have you talked with in-depth since January?

   2. Have you implemented or improved your customer feedback process?

   3. What actions are you taking based on what you heard?

3. Analyzing lost customer opportunities is painful, yet instructive.

   1. Which customers have you been most disappointed to lose in 2006?

   2. For each one, why did they choose to stop buying from your business?

   3. What steps are you taking to avoid more losses like these?

Is your business on a stronger footing than it was on December 31, 2005?

1. Many businesses underutilize a tremendous asset - their employees. 

   1. How often have you updated your staff on business performance in 2006? 

   2. How often have you explicitly requested their input, ideas and feedback?

   3. How often have you updated them on the status of their ideas and input?

   4. Have you addressed staff problems which existed on December 31, 2005?

2. We know budgets aren't fun.  We know it's stressful to talk to problem employees.  But every aspect of your business needs attention - not just the parts you enjoy most.

   1. Think about the three to five areas of your business that you least enjoy. 

   2. How are you balancing your attention between these areas and the more enjoyable ones?

3. Building a business that can work without your constant personal involvement is critical if you want to build a business that can last.

   1. What have you done in 2006 to strengthen your staff and other professional relationships so that you can spend more personal time or focus on big-picture business interests without jeopardizing your existing business?

   2. If you constantly fight fires, what are you doing to put your business on a stronger foundation by year-end?

How's your work-life balance compared to December 31, 2005?

1. Renewal's not just for customers - it's for business owners and managers as well.

   1. List your most important personal relationships.

   2. Are you doing the same, better, or worse at keeping your promises to these individuals...whether it's picking family members up on time or doing your share of the household chores?

2. It's not enough to make money - your business has to stay true to your personal vision as well.

   1. Compared to December 31, 2005, do you feel closer to your personal goals, or farther away?

   2. Are you satisfied with "where you're at"?

3. Being a good neighbor matters.

   1. How visible are your footprints in your community -- whether it's mentoring others, joining in church activities, civic organizations, or other activities that strengthen the communities we share?

Are your daily actions and your big-picture priorities aligned? 

1. Success has two parts - what you do, and what you don't do.

   1. How well do your current business priorities reflect your top three to five opportunities for 2006?

2. How well do your business priorities reflect your top three to five business risks or exposures for 2006?

3. What have you stopped or changed since December 31 to free up time and money to tackle these opportunities and risks?