Quarterly reviews…last word

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If, like most companies you’re at the half-way point in the year, you’ll be checking your progress against your business plan.

This month I have been focused on how to have effective quarterly review meetings in both this blog and my email messages because these up-and-coming quarterly review meetings will be particularly important. This is your last real opportunity to adapt your strategy plan and make any significant course corrections.

As you prepare for your quarterly review meetings I’d like to make a suggestion. I’d like you to think about how to make this and future quarterly reviews as mutually benficial as possible.

This aim might sound a little obvious but from my past experience, and in speaking with others, the vast majority of meetings tend to benefit the reviewer rather than the reviewee. (Just to be clear, the ‘reviewer’ is the one seeking the data such as a the silicon vendor and the ‘reviewee’ the one collating and presenting it, such as a distributor.)

As the reviewer who gains more from the meetings, speak to the other party prior to the meeting and outline why you need the information. Explain that it isn’t just a data mining exercise and outline how the findings from the meetings will also benfit the reviewee.

For example, explain that if a particular product isn’t selling well, then with the reviewee’s feedback as to the the challenges they’re experiencing, the reviewer’s company will discuss the problems and either improve the product, or the sales training or marketing messages or whatever else is needed, to help the reviewee meet future targets.

As the reviewee, if there are topics you wish to raise then explain why and get them on the agenda prior to the meeting.

Great leaders negotiate for mutually beneficial results and both sides need to be responsible for ensuring that these meetings achieve just that.

Enter the meeting knowing why you’re all there and the mutual gains to be had. Work as valued partners on the same level and adopt the attitude that these are vital meetings that are worth every minute spent on them and which will help keep both companies on course.

What do you think will help quarterly reviews be the productive, mutually beneficial meetings they should be?