Annual Reviews – Looking back down the roads we have travelled and considering what we have learned.

When I was working in the pharmaceutical industry, one of the things the company had to do, in law, was to have an annual review of what problems, if any, there were during that year for each product we made, and what we had done to prevent those issues returning. The final report went to top management and had to be approved and agreed. Then the Government Inspector read every word in fine detail.

Now my office consists of my palatial back bedroom and the only person inspecting the review is going to be me.

 Which is why I am not sure that this form of annual review works. For me, the concept of continuous improvement throughout the year, and the Japanese concept of Kaizen, is a far more effective way of making solid progress.

On the other hand as a single trader entrepreneur it can be useful to step back and have a board meeting with myself where I talk to some of the company directors of Nina Harrington.Com about how each part of the business is going and what the plans are for the coming year.

Strategic Planning really should get together with Manufacturing to agree on future Writing Projects and Initiatives, while Sales and Marketing update us on how 2010 went – or did not go so well. Human Resources are providing coffee and Santa chocs of course and talking holidays and pensions.

Sounds like quite a party! I’ll bring the cake and the largest sheet of paper I can find. 

So what would your team talk about?