Notebook with a blank list of goals

What's the Goal?

At American Cutting Edge, goals are a part of everything we do whether it's the sales team, the marketing department, the accounting organization, the manufacturing arm of the business, or the shipping department. Naturally, our number one goal is making sure our customers are absolutely satisfied and come first in everything we do.

What's the daily driver that motivates you to get things done both in your personal and professional life? Setting goals can be overwhelming and time consuming but it's a critically important part of your personal and professional lives. When you're clear about your goal, motivation isn't a problem. But sometimes knowing exactly where to start can still be challenging.

As business professionals, we all know that goals should be SMART “ specific, measurable, attainable, goal settingrelevant, and time bound. Often, a goal may be a big audacious sales target like increasing sales by 20 or 30% by the end of third quarter and it's the middle of May. Or, maybe you want to lose 15 pounds by Labor Day and it's already the beginning of June.

From these types of larger goals come strategies that might include strategies like focusing on winning back lost accounts or eating a diet rich in protein and cutting way back on carbohydrates. These smaller strategies can help you reach your main goal. You can even whittle down your strategy to supporting tactics that include actions such as making 15 calls to former customers daily or eating two eggs every day and abstaining from toast in the morning to burn more calories.

Gain Clarity via Backwards Goal Setting

Goal setting can be overwhelming but it doesn't have to be all-consuming. Sometimes when you don't know which direction to go, it's useful to take a step back “ literally. Take a look at the big picture. Where do you ultimately want to be when you reach the apex of your achievement? You don't start at the top of the mountain. You have to plan the trip to the top and that involves a lot of forethought and planning.

Executive coaches like Roger Sherrin use the concept of backwards planning and reverse engineering of goals in their practices. And while it may seem counter intuitive to tell someone to plan backwards when all we want in life is to move forwards, the truth is that backwards planning really can help you prioritize the essential tasks to focus your energy and time while keeping your eye on the main goal.

Stephen Covey, the famed author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, states that we should always begin with the end in mind so that we're sure the steps we're taking are heading in the right direction.

According to the the U.S. Army, Reverse planning involves starting with the operation's end state and working backward in time. Leaders begin by identifying the last step, the next-to-last step, and so on. They continue until they reach the step that begins the operation. It answers the question -- Where do we eventually want to be?

Picture Yourself on the Top of that Mountain

We all wear a number of hats these days. Whether you're an executive in your organization, a member of the sales team, or someone on the inspection team, you have a lot on your plate. Each one of us has goals that go along with our role. It's likely that we share one or two larger organizational goals. We all need to picture ourselves on the top of that mountain and keep our priorities straight.

When my Dad, Charles Biehn Sr., founded C.B. Manufacturing & Sales in 1965, his focus was on serving the needs of his customers and making sure that they received the highest quality knives on the market. He prioritized the needs and service of his customers above everything else.

This tradition of excellence continues at American Cutting Edge today as we work together to make cutting effortless for our customers through continuous improvements in our manufacturing processes and customer service improvements. Our goal is to provide the highest quality industrial blades and knives for both in-stock and custom orders to meet and exceed customer expectations. We accomplish this through a thoughtful approach to goal setting, collaborating with customers, and developing new products, and evolving to meet our customers' needs.

We look forward to working with customers like you for many years to come. Please reach out to our industrial knife and blade specialists with your next industrial cutting requirement.