CEO Conversations: The last quarter: Navigating the year-end chaos
During this time of the year, one of the most common conversations with CEOs revolves around the challenges presented by the final part of the year.
Just this week, a CEO shared something that’s not new to us, something we’ve all heard or experienced almost every year.
He mentioned that the last quarter of the year, once again, becomes the most critical period for his company. It’s the time when we must ensure we meet the budget while simultaneously closing the plan for the next year. The pressure is high regarding the results we need to present, and the expectations for 2024 are considerable. The list of pending tasks that must be addressed before the year-end seems to grow every day. His schedule is packed and riddled with meeting conflicts, and, more worrisome, he barely has time to reflect or work individually on truly important matters that require his “personal time,” as he always reminds me. Additionally, the need for sales and margin recovery to meet the 2023 budget has become urgent.
He was direct and asked that I remind him of the keys of the FASE Method in our next meeting to help him tackle this complex quarter in the best possible way. So we did. I asked him to take notes so that, at the end of our session, he could perform an honest self-assessment on each point.
F for Focus:
- Delegate as much as possible on what isn’t relevant or categorically say no.
- Reconsider what wastes your time, especially concerning emails, meetings, mobile devices, and distractions.
- Spend time identifying what’s important, and most importantly, decide which areas you need to be personally present in and which you can delegate to your team. Divide and conquer.
A for Attention:
- Ensure that when you work on key matters, you do so with quality concentration, as this will ensure you’re truly working with the necessary quality.
S for Systematization:
- Prioritize each month with quality time and attention.
- Plan each week with the aim of maintaining a strong and productive focus on the upcoming week.
- Execute each day on what truly matters, sticking to what you’ve planned and protecting that time.
- And, of course, analyze your progress day by day, week by week, and month by month to make necessary adjustments.
Remember, consistency based on habits always prevails over intensity. That’s the essence of the FASE Method: creating and maintaining these habits.
E for Energy:
The foundation of everything. Although you might feel refreshed after the summer, you must prepare for a marathon that extends until the end of the year. If your energy fails you, you won’t be able to achieve it. Energy is your true enemy, both for you and your team. Therefore, carefully review your weekly and daily routines to keep it in optimal condition. Protect and respect those moments as you do with the most critical meetings.
At the end of my explanation, his reflection caught my attention.
“After years of working with you all, I’m familiar with this, but the fact that you remind me, put pressure on me, and demand self-assessment on each point is the key.”
My response was as clear as his comment.
The key isn’t just that. The key is in fulfill the planned actions day by day, week by week, and month by month, which I’m confident will be logical and consistent, especially after this session.
This requires daily reflection on your progress and tasks for the next day to avoid getting lost in the complexity of daily routines. Furthermore, it entails weekly planning where we reflect and learn from the past week while thinking carefully about the next one. As a CEO, you must set an example of rigor and adherence to the FASE Method, and you must guide your team in the same direction.
