September 16th marks 100 days until Christmas.

This isn’t one of those ‘bloody hell where did the year go’ articles – rather a reframe to say, “that’s three months during which we can really make a difference to our business”

I’d like to challenge you and your team (as I have already challenged my own clients year after year) to treat Christmas as a deadline for one additional activity that is guaranteed to have a positive and lasting impact on your business – all before the big man comes clambering down the chimney.

Important note:

This isn’t just doing some unimportant thing that’s been on your to-do list for months. This is an opportunity to do something material, to set a deadline and use that to energise your team. To deliver it. To impact your business. And to celebrate it together, all before you break for the Christmas holidays.

How will the 100 days challenge help with emotional overdraft? 

it’s an opportunity to galvanise the business to create something tangible. It involves others, devolving responsibility, shares workload and expectations, motivates and encourages your team, create opportunities for others to lead. The list goes on an on. It’s almost a magic pill for reducing your emotional overdraft. 

100 days. Just imagine what you could do.

100-day challenge examples

My clients are always up for it whenever this time of year rolls around again, fully embracing the challenge and taking the time to consciously decide what they want to achieve over the next 100 days.

Here are some of activities my clients decided to ‘get done’ during last years’ 100 days – perhaps they will inspire you to consider what you might decide to focus on…

• Upsell initiative – training an entire team on how to turn clients into advocates (to everyone’s advantage)
• Setting a new Gross Profit target by involving everyone in the business and using it as a pretext for teaching the team more about how the finances of an agency operate
• New Product Launch – moving from beta to properly launched by Christmas
• Implementing a functioning CRM in a business where they have always shied away from CRM tech

How to get started on the 100-day challenge

How do you come up with a theme? I’m happy to help (you can take me up on a free 25-minute chat here) – we can brainstorm something together if you like. Ideally, get your team together, tell them about the idea, get them excited about delivering something new and work out what to focus on.

Be brave and be ambitious.

Set milestones

Set some milestones (or gates as I call them). What will have happened after 30, 60 and 90 days to reassure you that you have maintained momentum and that you’ll get your activity done?

Define accountability

As ever, make sure that everyone understands their role and that accountabilities and responsibilities are clear. Do you need to create a mini team for this project? Who will be in charge of keeping it on track?

Ensure autonomy

Make sure that people have the mandate to make things happen, give them the power and resources to push things through. If necessary, agree budgets.

Get a special ops team together

I’d suggest setting up a Task Force (or something with a more imaginative name) and pushing the resourcing beyond your most senior people. Get people excited and enthused.

Check in regularly

Step back if you’re letting your team drive this one, but be sure to check in regularly, provide support, feedback and re focus where needed.

Celebrate

When you deliver your 100-day activity, stick your hand in your pocket and sort out a way to properly celebrate with everyone who made it happen. What a great way to round off the year.

I really want to hear if you decide to take on the 100-day challenge, and to reiterate I would love to provide you with some support or steerage to get you going. Please help yourself to my agency leader surgery calendar or drop me a line so we can find a good time to chat. 

Let’s see what we can achieve!

Andy.