Learning from Others
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Be Bold!
As I was writing my last newsletter, on 10 Mind-Altering Tips to Maximize Your Impact in 2020, one tip I wanted to include was “Be Bold.” Having a list that can go to 11 is good, but I didn’t want to overwhelm your altered mind. So I stuck with 10.
But I believe being bold is key to success. So, what does “Be Bold” mean in business? It means making the decisions that you know are the right ones even if they might require hard work to implement. It means having the courage to say no when you feel like you should say yes.
A client recently had to face the realization that an employee in a critical position wasn’t performing at the level they needed in order to achieve their strategic vision. I was asked to assess the employee and his contribution to the company. Could the employee be coached for success or was he subject to the Peter Principle?
Fortunately, I was able to recognize the areas that needed coaching and development and work with the employee to augment those areas. The employee emerged with a stronger vision of leadership, a sense of direction for his department and the skills to hold his team accountable for results. This engagement increased departmental productivity, resulting in an annualized profitability increase of $125,000. While the end of this story was a good one for the company and the employee, sometimes the difficult decision has to be made to free the employee to excel in another organization.
Many businesses will accept reduced performance from a long-time, loyal employee. But at some point, every business reaches the conclusion that not addressing the issue will impact the health of the company. The business owner willing to Be Bold will see that issue and take steps prior to allowing it to impact performance.
Do you feel like you could be bolder in your leadership? Are there opportunities for your employees to increase their performance? If you answered yes to either of those questions, call me or email me. I can help you address those areas and get you on the path to profitability.
10 Mind Altering Tips to Maximize Your Impact in 2020
We just started a new decade! The following list was created to get you started on achieving your 2020 vision.
- Be crystal clear on what you want to achieve. I was recently reading the book titled “Train Your Brain for Success.” If you tell your brain where you want to go, it will start working on how to get there. But if you aren’t clear, the brain will wait for further clarification. The analogy the book used was this: imagine telling your GPS you want to go to a bank. It will start searching for banks, but will wait for further instructions before it begins developing the route. It is imperative that you tell your brain exactly what you want to achieve. As soon as you do, it will get to work on making sure you achieve it. This applies to individuals and to organizations. If your team isn’t sure about direction, they will stay on the same path until they feel comfortable that a new direction is set.
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Instill the necessary discipline. I’m not big on having structure. I like the freedom to do what I want to do. But I know without the necessary structure, I won’t get to where I want to be. So I’ve been working on putting the framework together to ensure l’m completing the necessary activities to achieve my goals, without overburdening myself with too much structure. Ask yourself, what structure do I need to put in place to keep me on track? Be honest with yourself. Then build that structure into your weekly schedule and honor that structure.
- Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment. I think many of us get caught up in the busy-ness trap. But being busy doesn’t mean we are being productive. Do you know what you need to accomplish on a daily, weekly or monthly basis in order to achieve your goals? Most people don’t schedule time for those important things because they are busy doing the more fun and easy things. I recommend that you look at what you need to do in order to achieve your goals, and then schedule those first. Then fill in your time with the other, less important tasks. My greatest gains come from the tasks described as “important but not urgent” in Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Those tasks may require more thinking and less doing. But if you spend more time on them, your productivity will skyrocket.
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Be open to new experiences and ideas. For years, I have heard about the value of meditation, but I kept pushing it off as a new age movement. As I found it harder and harder to focus, I started searching for ways to reduce the clutter in my brain. Turns out, meditation is a powerful technique that people have been using for thousands of years. Teaching my brain to be more present helped reduce stress, increased focus and provided more calm. After incorporating this into my life and enjoying the benefits, I realized there have been other areas in which I have been close-minded. So one of my goals for the past year was to try something new every month. This goal has helped me expand my mind and be open to new experiences.
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Be aware of the limitations you place on yourself. Have you listened to the words you say to yourself? Negative thoughts impact what we believe we can achieve and what we are willing to attempt. If you want to reach your full potential, be mindful of this. Henry Ford said it best when he said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t—you’re right.”
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Be authentic. When I hear the word authentic, I think of Brene Brown, but l‘ve also heard many other people talk about the importance of being authentic. This is something I’ve been working on as it isn’t something that comes naturally to me. However, I do know that when I share my authentic self, I have the opportunity to connect more deeply with individuals around me, and I am continually reminded of just how precious those connections can be.
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Take care of yourself. Let’s face it, we aren’t getting any younger, and we only get one body for this journey. Eat well, drink lots of water, exercise and sleep. You can’t perform at the level you desire if your body isn’t healthy. And remember, taking time to care for yourself isn’t selfish, it is essential if you want to love and support those around you.
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Look beyond yourself. It is possible #7 and #8 are at odds but I don’t think so. If you care for yourself, then you’ll have the energy to look beyond yourself. And while I find myself to be very interesting (I mean, who doesn’t), I find helping and caring for others much more rewarding. Put yourself in another person’s shoes and try to see a situation from their perspective. Then act in a way that acknowledges that you see them and value them: the personal reward will be priceless.
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Never stop learning. My father turned 80 years old last year. He continues to expand his mind through reading, learning foreign languages and keeping up on the latest technology in his field. Together with my mother, he started a foundation that serves the underprivileged in Haiti; he also volunteers his time at a local free clinic and spends time with his family to help them reach their full potential. He is a great role model for those of us who want to continue to grow and expand our mind. What areas do you want to gain knowledge in? Those areas may not be related to your field of study, but they can help enrich your life.
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Enjoy the journey. Not every day is going to be fun. There will be times, tasks and experiences that you won’t automatically enjoy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to enjoy them. In a book called The Highest Goal, author Michael Ray introduces “Live-Withs.” The idea is to find ways to make the most of things that you don’t enjoy. If you have a traffic-filled commute, how could you learn to enjoy the commute? For me, it would be to listen to a great podcast (Revisionist History) or practice my Spanish. But the idea is to find ways to bring enjoyment into areas that are lacking. So, I’ll challenge you by thinking about how you can change your vantage point in order to “enhance the ride.”
Do you feel you have areas that need some strengthening in order to maximize your 2020 impact? Do you or your team need help becoming crystal clear on what you want to achieve in 2020? If so, give me a call or send me an email. In a short 90-minute meeting, we can outline your goals and identify the critical success factors to help you start this decade with a clear direction and a sense of purpose.
A Process for Setting Goals
“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” —Bill Copeland
Over the past few months, I’ve been writing about tips that have helped me be present in the moment. This topic came out of the lesson I took away from my Camino in September: to be more intentional with my thoughts and actions. This journey has caused me to change how I approach my life, including being vulnerable, clarifying my priorities, reducing distractions and adding discipline around time management. This hasn’t been easy for me, and I definitely have a long ways to go. But I believe I’m on the right track. My focus and productivity have increased, and I’m excited to see where 2020 takes me. One topic that many of you have asked me about is how to set goals. So, I’m dedicating this newsletter to that topic.
Setting goals is different than writing a wish list. I’ve had some things l’ve thought about striving for but, when I really considered what it would take to achieve them, I could feel my heart wasn’t fully committed. Those things remain on my wish list until I’m ready to make the commitment, which may be indefinitely. Skydiving is on my wish list, but whenever I think about actually jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, I consider myself crazy and leave it on my wish list.
A goal, on the other hand, is something you have a deep conviction to achieve. Once you are ready to set your goals, I have found the following process very effective. (It was adapted from a process developed by international speaker Bill Hawfield.) While I use this process for setting my annual goals, it can be used for any time period, short or long.
Materials Needed:
- a large blank sheet of paper or poster board
- multiple colors of Post-It notes
- pen or pencil
- a quiet space
- an introspective mindset
The Process:
Step 2. On the far left side of the sheet of paper or poster board, place the Post-It notes in a column.
Step 3. Across the top of the sheet, write out the categories in which you want to set your goals. Those categories are up to you but may include work, personal growth, financial, spiritual, health, family, etc. The number of categories is up to you.
Step 4. Now start to write out your goals in each of your categories. You want to write SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). For example, getting into shape is not a SMART goal (after all, round is a shape). However, wanting to lose 15 lbs by 8/31/2020 is a SMART goal. Record each goal on a Post-It note and place it in the appropriate column. Formulating your goals takes time. Don’t rush through this step. You may need to work on it for a while and then let it sit for a few days before continuing. You can also review your goals with someone you trust, especially if they are going through the same process.
As you write your goals, keep checking them against what you’ve listed on the far left column, and ask yourself if the goals you have set are going to bring you closer to what you want more of.
Editorial comment (I guess I’m entitled since this is my blog post): don’t be afraid to aim high. Being conservative with your goals may allow you to reach them, but imagine how much more you could achieve if you aim for the stars.
Step 5. Once your goals are set, look at your list and identify the top 3 goals that will allow you to reach what you have identified in the column on the left. Place a star beside each of these goals. These are the goals that are critical to helping you achieve what you want more of in 2020.
Step 6. As you look at your goals, identify what needs to happen in the next 30 days in order to meet your longer-range goals. For example, if you want to work out 3 times per week with a personal trainer, you will need to select a trainer in the next 30 days in order to meet your goal.
Write each of these items on a Post-It note and put them in a column on the far right.
Step 7. Stop and review your goals. Imagine yourself achieving them, and do a gut check to make sure you are committed to achieving each one of them. If you aren’t, consider moving that goal back onto your wish list.
Now that you have your goals set, all you have to do is sit back and reach them, right? Well, yes and no. Studies have shown that you don’t have to write out each step you are going to take to achieve each goal; however, you do need to review your goals on a regular basis. Regular means multiple times per day, not once a year.
Some goals need more deliberate planning in order to achieve. For those, I would lay out the steps required to achieve the goal and schedule those activities into your calendar on a monthly and weekly basis. See blog titled “What Should I Be Working On?” for more about monthly and weekly reviews.
Another practice that enhances your opportunity for success is to review your goals with a partner on a periodic basis. This accountability helps you keep on track and gives you someone to bounce ideas off if you find yourself stagnant in some areas.
As you look toward 2020, I hope you feel energized to start this new year with a sense of focus and discipline to make this your best decade ever!
What Should I Be Working On?
Imagine how hard it would be to focus if you had a bunch of balls floating around your head, all fighting for your attention. But most people describe their typical day just this way: constant movement trying to keep all the balls in the air. This results in reduced efficiency, higher stress and a lower quality of work. So what’s the solution? Focus: If you grab one of those balls and schedule time to work on it, that is one less ball floating around. Then grab the next ball and schedule time for it. One by one, each ball gets a place on your schedule. Over time, this leads to a reduction in the chaos, which increases your ability to focus on the important tasks at hand.
I struggled with this for a long time, finding myself unable to focus because I had so many things fighting for my attention. Realizing that this lack of focus wasn’t sustainable, I went searching for a solution. I found it in a book called Deep Work, by Cal Newport, which contained many ideas for becoming more focused and productive. I decided to try one of his suggestions and start scheduling my time.
But it wouldn’t do any good to schedule my time if I didn’t know what to work on. So I reviewed the goals I had set for myself and decided that I needed to structure my time so I could achieve them. I tend to set goals in various areas of my life to help promote balance. For me, those areas are personal development, financial health, business growth, professional development, relationship, family and spiritual life. I can’t work on all of those areas every day, but I can ensure that I am working toward those goals throughout the year.
Once I was clear on what I wanted to achieve, I started putting those activities into my schedule. At the beginning of each month, I would review my goals in each area of my life, then identify those steps that I needed to take to move toward achieving those goals. At the end of the month, I would review how I did against the steps, then plan for the following month.
However, I found this monthly review wasn’t enough to ensure I stayed on track. So I incorporated a weekly review.
For me, a week is a much more manageable timeframe than a month. By the end of the week, I typically know my schedule for the upcoming week, so I can establish what I want to accomplish and then schedule blocks of time to work on those goals, taking into account deadlines, obligations and special events. In addition to scheduling my time, I also reflect each week on what went well, what I learned and what I could celebrate from the previous week. As I mentioned in an earlier post on managing time, scheduling my time keeps me focused on the right things at the right time.
If I could recommend one thing that could improve your productivity and increase your focus, I’d recommend the weekly planning tool. If you want a copy of the template that I use, please send me an email and I’ll happily share it.