Remember those ambitious Q1 goals you set at the end of last year? The ones that had you excited about growth and transformation? Well, we're now in a new quarter, and it's time for a check-in. How many of those projects actually made it across the finish line?

The 90-Day Focus Fade

Here's something we've noticed with many of our clients: every 90 days, teams naturally start to lose focus on their vision and growth projects. The daily grind of operations consumes everyone's attention, and those exciting Q1 goals gradually slip to the back burner.

Even more concerning? Many businesses aren't even scheduling quarterly meetings to review progress and strategize next steps. Without these check-ins, it's easy for teams to get stuck in the weeds.

It's Not About Perfection

Let's clear something up right away: it's completely okay if you didn't accomplish 100% of your growth projects this quarter! The more important thing is learning from what you've done (or haven't done) to get better results next quarter.

How Connected Consulting Makes Progress on Quarterly Projects

Wondering how we keep our own projects on track? Here are some strategies that have worked for us:

1. We Talk About It (A Lot)

We set aside 30 minutes every week with the core team assigned to growth projects. This isn't about micromanaging, it's about providing support. We ask questions like:

• Is there too much on your plate?

• What can we take off so you can make more progress?

• Does this project need to be broken into smaller pieces?

2. We Set Micro-Goals

When we revamped our website, we didn't just say "new website by March 1st." Instead, we broke it down with time-based deadlines:

• Complete all copy by December 21st

• Approve design concepts by January 7th

• Launch phase one by February 15th

3. We Assign Clear Accountability

For every project, we designate one person who's ultimately responsible for moving things forward. This person manages the work, ensures deadlines are met, and can say "no" to anything outside the project's scope.

Questions to Help Move Your Projects Forward

Stuck on that Q1 project? Ask yourself:

1. Is your team drowning in manual work?

How much time is your team spending on tasks that could be automated? Those hours could be redirected toward your growth projects.

2. Is your goal too ambitious?

Sometimes the best approach is to break a big project into phases. Often when working on a big project, ideas keep multiplying, so grouping ideas together and splitting the project up helps keep everyone on track while still planning ahead.

3. Do you need to hire someone?

When we needed a new website, we knew what we wanted but didn't have the internal resources to execute. So we brought in a designer and developer to help us launch in just a few weeks.

Don't wait until the quarter ends to make these decisions—by then, everyone is demotivated.

You're Not Alone

Trust us, you're not the only organization struggling with this balance. We work with many successful businesses whose day-to-day operations are incredibly busy. That's why we help them optimize those operations to free up time for growth projects.

If your team is over capacity, you simply won't get those projects done—no matter how important they are.

Your Q2 Action Plan

Here's what we recommend:

1. Schedule a quarterly meeting now (yes, right now!)

2. Make it a must-attend where people come prepared

3. Create an environment where it's safe to admit lack of progress

4. Focus the meeting on solutions for next quarter, not dwelling on the past

5. Set smaller, achievable goals for Q2

Ready to make Q2 your most productive quarter yet? Let's do this! 😊

Need help optimizing your operations so you can focus on growth? Let's talk! https://form.fillout.com/t/pBgqXQqu6Xus