I ask this question or ask almost every meeting that I am currently conducting with managers. The first quarter, the result is clear and known, it is already possible to predict almost certainly what happens in the second quarter. The seasonality of the third and fourth quarters is familiar to us.
Whether you are a small, medium or large business. CEO or manager of an independent profit and loss unit, these questions concern you and interest you.
Even if the results of Q1 and 2 are great, you’re probably looking at how you can preserve the outcome and maybe even improve it. If the results are bad this question will probably bother you and perhaps even beyond that.

At the simplest level, a table of goals and goals you set yourself and / or your people should be set. To indicate next to each target the percentage of achievement of the goal and how the result will look until the end of the year. This is to the extent that you meet the targets in the two quarters and the plan works as you planned.
What happens if not? What moves are you taking now?

At this stage it is recommended to examine what worked and what did not work? And why? On each level where you set goals
This is the stage to map your goals by fields (the attached list is a proposal that can be expanded or reduced depending on the organization itself

• Goals – Were the goals too high? Are these goals dictated and stretched to please management?
• Market – Did competitors behave differently than you expected? Has competition changed face or direction? Have new competitors emerged?
• Customers – Do customers buy from competitors? Did the customer’s requirements change and you did not expect? Is your response to customer requirements accurate and meets the needs?
• Growth Engines – Did not the growth engines generate sales as you expected? Was the market analysis of growth engines inaccurate?
• Core products – does purchasing / consumption in core products change direction? Is there a drop in demand? Have new competitors emerged? Does the pricing of core products change among competitors? Does market demand change direction? Are you prepared to change your consumption, meeting changes to your customers?
• Sales system – is the sales system tailored to the needs? Do salespeople enjoy trust with customers? Are salespeople well acquainted with customers? Do the sales people know the painful points and bother the customers? Is the relationship with customers in a constant rise and improvement curve? Are sales people the right people and have the right skills or training?

In each of the topics it is recommended to hold an in-depth and penetrating discussion. A discussion attended by all your people. Or to help outside people. At this stage the discussions must be open and allow. Let your people express their opinions, be attentive and try not to be impatient.

Principles for open discussion
• Do not shut mouths ask questions.
• Do not dictate your position, let people express their opinions.
• Conduct the discussions openly.
• Clear the external noises (limiting beliefs, “addicted games” between you and your ASH).
• Allow people to express an opinion contrary to your opinion.
• It is permissible to say everything, the approach must be what can be done and not what is impossible.

The main questions for the discussion:
• What should be done differently? (And where did we go wrong?)
• What should we improve? (And not what can not be done)
• What is required of me as a manager to assist you? (And not what should you do?)
• What is required to change the results? (And did not you understand that we would not meet our goals?)
The trust builder approach will help you harness the subordinates to you. Coping with the goals is shared.
You can still improve your results by 2017. That’s your challenge to take advantage of.