4 Ways to Make Q2 '15 Your Best Yet

As we come into a fresh new quarter and a brand new month, it's time to regain focus and set expectations for yourself and your team. The next three months will fly by, so having a proactive plan to make sure you make the most of your time is vital. We've outlined four ways to make sure Q2 2015 your best yet.

1. Over-communicate

   
   

   A successful team is one that communicates efficiently. And while it's not good to over-do anything, communicating is something that you can't afford to do too little of. If you don't already, add a short 5-10 minute weekly meeting to your office schedule. Monday's are the best day for this and allow you to keep everyone up to speed on what is going on, where help might be needed and what successes have been made.

2. Attend Conferences and Events

   
   

   You may have graduated quite some time ago, but that doesn't mean you stop learning. With that, you must seek out new education and make the most of these opportunities. Conferences, seminars and presentations are offered everywhere, all throughout the year. This quarter, make a schedule of events in your area that you will attend. These can be events that you attend for your own professional success, your industry or your team. Stay on top of the contacts you make with mobile apps like CardMunch or Evernote Hello. Set small goals for the interactions you hope to have and make the most of your time by educating, connecting and networking.

3. Reconnect 

   
   

   Dormant contacts are some of the best contacts. Research shows that reconnecting with contacts from 3 or more years ago is more powerful than people currently in your circle. Old contacts are not familiar with what you are doing, as you are not familiar with what track they are currently on. This leads to more opportunity for growth, idea exchange, introductions and re-engagement. Your closer contacts will be more likely to offer you redundant knowledge, while dormant ties have been out and about expanding a more diverse network that offers more possibilities for both parties.

4. Set Intermediate Goals

   
   

   Goals per quarter are a fantastic way to measure progress, but think about adding smaller, more intermediate goals to your plan. At the end of a quarter, you and your team are able to reflect on what worked, what didn't and where change should be made. But more intermediate changes allow you to make adjustments throughout the quarter, allowing slip-ups to be fixed immediately instead of waiting until the end of the three-month time period.