How can I find out?

If you don’t know, or are unsure of, what the business goals are, the only way to find out is to ask. Ask the person at the top, if possible. If this isn’t possible, ask the nearest person to the person at the top you can get to.

If you’re not sure how to tackle this, try the following approach:

‘I’m getting my team focused on useful results and it would be helpful if we could prioritize our work in relation to the things which are most important to the company. Can you give me a copy of the mission statement (or corporate objectives or business goals) or just give me a brief run down on the key issues for our company?’

If no such things as business objectives exist, look at what the company has done so far. To really find out what you need to know, you should embark on some serious question asking – of others and of yourself. In many instances you may need to do some research to uncover the real answers to these questions. Below is a list of areas and questions that will help you to establish the focus for your company, whether you work for a multinational, a micro-business or something in between.