Step Five: Write the Goal

The research on high achievers shows that successful goal setters write out their goals. There is something almost magical about writing down goals. Without writing down the goal, it is merely an idea or a wish. Writing it down helps to bring it to life.

Here is a simple, yet effective guideline for writing good goals. It is called the S-M-A-R-T model. Each letter of the S-M-A-R-T model refers to a characteristic of effective goals:

Specific. Good goals are specific. They detail exactly what is to be accomplished. Don’t be vague or general. Write out specifically what is to be accomplished.

Measurable. You must be able to measure the success of your goal. In other words, how will you know when you are successful? Whether the goal is broken down into number of units produced, salary earned, days worked, pounds lost, chapters completed, or number of classes attended, you need a way to quantify your results. Measuring your results helps to keep you moving toward your goal. Yes, it is a great motivator!

Attainable. Research shows us that high achievers set goals that challenge their abilities, but that are not unrealistically out of reach. When you set challenging, but attainable goals, you will experience success and increase your self esteem. Be realistic about your goals. It is not unrealistic to go back to school for a degree. It is unrealistic to expect to get a doctorate in only one year. Make your goals a stretch, but make them a more guaranteed stretch!

Relevant. Do not forget that your vision is the driver for your goals. Make sure that your goals are relevant to the vision. The accomplishment of each goal should move you closer to realizing your vision. Keep your goals moving on the track to your desired future.

Time bound. Good goals have a time frame. When you set a specific time frame to get something done, it will always take you that amount of time or even less time to complete the task than if you had no time frame at all. One example of this is when you prepare to travel or go on vacation. Usually, when you are leaving on a trip, you have all sorts of tasks that need to be accomplished before you leave. You may be rushed, but you will always get the tasks done. You have to because you are leaving. If you were not leaving, those same tasks may take you two or three times as long to accomplish. Life is short! Set a time frame because you will always accomplish more.

Step Six: Design an Action Plan

Now that you have your goals and they are S-M-A-R-T goals, you know exactly what you want to achieve and by when. The last step in the goal-setting process is to design a specific action plan to achieve the goals. This is a step by step breakdown of the small actions you will take to achieve each goal and when you will complete them.

Back to the degree example. Let’s say your goal is stated like this:

I will complete my M.S. degree by December of 2012.

Each time you complete an action, check it off or scratch it out and then celebrate. You are on your way to achieving your ultimate goal!

Remember, the secret to achieving goals is your willingness to do whatever it takes to get there. It means that you are willing to take the time to create a vision. It means that you are willing to confront problems and roadblocks and work around them. It means that you will write out your goals and ensure that they are S-M-A-R-T. It takes work. And, it also means that you will reap the benefits–that you will bring your vision to life!

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Step Three: Identify Roadblocks

Now that you have identified your vision and you know what it will take to achieve by outlining key actions or goals, you can begin to identify the barriers or roadblocks that may get in your way. It may sound negative to spend your time and energy thinking about barriers or problems, but there are two good reasons for this. First, if you are able to think about what problems could stop you, you can also begin to generate plans to get around the problems if they should arise. And second, when they do come up, they do not paralyze you. Many people have had their goals undermined when problems surfaced. Sometimes people will even tell you they thought the problems would arise.

Let’s say that your goal is to go back to school and get your degree. Some of the roadblocks you could anticipate in this goal might include 1) not enough time, 2) fear of going back to being a student, and/or 3) financial constraints. For each of the roadblocks you identify, develop some strategies to get around the problem. It may include 1) changing your own thinking, 2) getting help from others, and 3) committing to specific time blocks to do what you need to do. Keep the vision in mind and then overcoming the roadblocks will not be so tough.

Step Four: List the Benefits

If you spend time listing the problems or roadblocks you could encounter, you will find it much easier to generate a list of benefits you would receive when you achieve the goal. The question that then needs to be answered is, “Do the benefits make the goal worth achieving?” If the answer is yes, you know that it is worth tackling the problems to achieve the benefits of goal attainment.

Continuing with our example, some of the benefits of going back to school and obtaining a degree might be 1) improved chances for promotion, 2) increased salary, 3) enhanced self esteem, and 4) the feeling of accomplishing something you have wanted for many years.

As you list the benefits, you will want to make sure the benefits outweigh the problems you will encounter. If the benefits do not outweigh the problems, the problems will stop you. Focus on the benefits. They will help you get through the tough times!

Check back on Friday for the last post of this three part blog: Write your Goal and Design an Action plan.

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Step One: Create a Vision

To start the visioning process, you must get in touch with your true desire. What is important to you? What matters? What do you care about? What do you really want? A vision comes from the heart. It must be truly meaningful to you.

Create a mental picture of what you want. The visioning process requires quiet reflection. Step back from your busy, fast paced environment and relax. Visioning requires imagery and creativity. The more relaxed you are and the farther away you are from day to day tensions, the easier it is to create and visualize. Many people have a difficult time creating a vision because that vision may be so far removed from reality. Yet, it is that very distance or gap between the vision and current reality that propels you toward achieving the vision.

This concept was first described by Robert Fritz in his book, The Path of Least Resistance. Fritz calls it structural tension. There are two components to structural tension. One is the vision or the picture of what you want. The second component is current reality or what you have now. As Fritz maintains, “The difference or discrepancy between what you have (current reality) and the result you want (vision) creates structural tension.”

Structural tension is useful because it seeks resolution. In other words, to resolve the tension between your vision and current reality, one or the other has to give. As Fritz puts it:

Structural tension may be resolved in either of two ways. It may be resolved through a change in current reality, so that your outward circumstances come to correspond more closely with your vision. On the other hand, the tension may be resolved through a change in your vision, so that you alter the result you want to correspond more closely with what you have now.

In summary, to achieve your vision, first crystallize the vision. Make it real, in your mind and in your heart. Then, acknowledge current reality. Feel the tension between the two. Allow yourself to be propelled toward your vision. Use the structural tension as an ally to move you to what you truly want.

Step Two: Decide on Actions

Now that your vision is clear, you can begin to determine the actions that must be taken to achieve the vision. These actions become the specific goals that are to be accomplished. A goal is a target, an end, or an objective. It is the accomplishment of these targets–or goals–that brings you closer to your vision.

For example, if your vision is to achieve a more prominent position in your organization or to move higher on your career path, you would first go through the visioning process and become crystal clear on what it is you actually want. You would know exactly what it would look like and how it would feel. Then ask yourself, “What do I need to accomplish to get to my vision?” One action may be to go back to school and complete a degree program. If you need the degree to achieve the vision, it becomes one of your key goals.

At this point in the goal-setting process, simply list the various actions you must take to achieve the vision. As we move through the next steps, we will discuss how to write effective goal statements.

Check back on Wednesday for part two of this three part blog: Identify Roadblocks and List the Benefits.

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Great Managers Keep Their Employees Uncomfortable!

Most managers feel they should keep everyone on their team happy and comfortable. But, we have found such managers usually have poor long-term job security. They are secure for a period of three to five years, then they are let go or moved to a less significant position by the organization. Why are they moved to positions of less influence? Because the whole world rapidly changed while their focus was on keeping people happy and comfortable. Major problems in the areas of customer satisfaction, quality, timeliness, or cost-competitiveness have usually occurred.

To be successful, your focus needs to be on staying ahead of your competition. The problem with rapid change is that it usually makes people feel uncomfortable, unhappy, and fearful. The following recommendations can help keep your people “uncomfortable” while ensuring your department or firm’s long-term success.

1. Read the writing on the wall. Higher customer demands. Faster service requirements. Increasing quality standards. The economy. Technology. All of these changes are going to have a significant impact on your department’s or organization’s success.

2. Raise the bar! What are you doing to raise the bar for your employees in areas such as customer and employee satisfaction, quality, response time, etc.? If you do not significantly raise the bar, who will? To not raise the bar, even for six months, means the world around you moved forward during that slice of time…but your team did not.

3. Over-communicate the need for change. Managers and leaders usually see the need to change before the general workforce because they have more available information. The more information you provide your employees with regarding your industry, the economy, environment, and your customers, the more people will understand the need to change.

4. Implement fast change…not slow change. Fast change is easier to implement and more accepted by employees than slow change. As one CEO recently stated when faced with the need to rapidly realign the needs of her firm to the competitive environment, “The people are going to change or we are going to change the people.”

5. Hold people accountable for results. Don’t give people the opportunity to blame others for the lack of achieving results. Ensure that everyone is clear about what results are expected from them and in what time frame.

6. Re-define loyalty. In the past, a loyal employee worked for you a long time and followed an informal corporate motto that stated, “Keep your nose to the grindstone and don’t make waves.” Today, the employee who is out there chopping the water—demanding that we change fast to stay one step ahead of our competition—is the loyal employee. The individual who complains that we are not changing fast enough to the new environment is now the loyal employee.

7. Get passionate and excited about change. Talk to customers; talk to the employees on the front line; talk to people in industries different from the industry you are in; read books that talk about innovation; and go out and talk to your competitors. All this will result in an information base to help you become more confident, passionate, and excited about the need to change.

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Expand Trust in your Organization

Good managers, supervisors, and leaders take specific actions to create a climate that is conducive to open and honest communication. In this open communication climate, people feel free to give their input and ideas, information is shared freely, conflicts are openly discussed and worked through, and people are more willing to express innovative ideas and to take risks.

The basis of the open communication climate is trust. The leader establishes an environment of trust within and among all the people in the group. To begin to build or expand trust in your organization and to foster an open communication climate, try some of the following tips.

1. Keep your employees informed.
   We all want to be “in the know.” Take time to keep your employees informed about what is happening within the organization. The more people feel informed about their organization, the better they feel about their participation in that organization. When you do not have the answer or are unsure of the reason for a particular decision, be honest with your employees and do whatever you can to get more information to them as soon as possible.

2. Use a real open door policy.
   Most managers say they have an open door policy. However, employees often quickly find out that although the door may be open, the mind is closed! If you have an open door policy, it means you welcome people to come to your office with their ideas, comments, complaints, and suggestions. It also means that you are open to actively listen to and honestly respond to those who come to see you.

3. Encourage others to express contrary viewpoints.
   Let people know that you expect them to challenge and disagree with you. When they do, let them state their case. Do not interrupt. Look for areas of agreement and be willing to see the others’ perspectives. Once you have a clear understanding of the others’ views, clarify the points that you support and those you cannot support. Provide a thorough explanation as to why you disagree. Help other people understand your perspective by speaking clearly and providing examples and illustrations to clarify your points.

4. Don’t “shoot the messenger.”
   Nothing destroys trust and credibility more than this one. And, unfortunately, this is a common problem in many organizations. A good leader understands that, in today’s complex organizations, people are required to relay messages. If you shoot the messenger one too many times, not only will the messenger not come back again, but everyone else will do whatever it takes to keep information from you.

5. Encourage employees to share information.
   If your employees rely solely on you to keep them informed, you will quickly become overwhelmed and the employees will not get all that they need to do a quality job. Let your staff know that you expect them to share information on a regular basis. Actively involve others in giving updates and sharing other relevant information.

6. Use a variety of tools to disseminate information.
   Be creative. The list is endless but here are a few to start with:

   • Departmental bulletin board
   • Organizational or departmental newsletter
   • Suggestion box
   • Special information-sharing meetings
   • Video or teleconferencing
   • Email

7. Promptly respond to communication from others.
   A general rule of thumb is to get back to people within a maximum of twenty-four hours. A better rule of thumb for some of the people would be to get back within four hours. When someone sends you an email, letter, or phone message, get back as soon as you can to let that person know what you are doing about the concern. Even if you cannot respond with a complete answer or solution right away, you can let them know that you are working on it and that you will get back ASAP. Then, do what you said you would do.

8. Keep your manager informed.
   Managers differ in the amount of information they wish to receive from the people they manage. Take the time to discover what your boss expects from you. How often does he or she expect to hear from you? Does he or she prefer written information (reports or status updates) or a weekly face to face meeting? What types of decisions does he or she expect to be consulted on? When can you make decisions on your own? How much detail does he or she like? If you cannot readily find the answers to these questions, set up a meeting with your boss to go over these kinds of issues. Remember, just as you would expect from your employees, no boss likes surprises.

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Ways to Motivate Individuals

We recently asked a group of seminar participants, “Would the people who work with you on a daily basis consider you to be a motivating leader?” On a scale of one to five, with one low and five high, only about one-third of the participants rated themselves either a four or five. We then talked about what makes a leader a motivator.

Research in emotional intelligence has demonstrated that most individuals are looking for three basic needs to be met in their life if they are to be motivated. First, people want to be appreciated and recognized for their contributions. Second, most people want to be cared for; and third, most people want to be given the opportunity to grow.

As a leader who wants to motivate, there are ways to meet these three basic needs and, in the process, become an even stronger leader.

The need to be appreciated and recognized.
Every leader needs to take every opportunity to recognize their associates when things are accomplished that support the organization’s vision and values. The following suggestions are possible ideas of how you might recognize someone’s contributions:

1. Send an e-mail complimenting the person’s work.
2. Write a personalized thank you note.
3. Leave a voice mail message valuing specific contributions.
4. Tell an individual why you appreciate the opportunity to work together.
5. Provide public attention (mention at a meeting or include in the company newsletter) the individual’s significant accomplishments.

The need to be cared for or about.
The old cliche is right, “No one cares about how much you know until they know how much you care.” We encourage leaders to care as much about employees’ personal success as you do about their professional success. These are some activities that demonstrate you care about individuals:

1. You listen to them and value their opinions.
2. You ask them questions about both personal and professional topics.
3. You recognize their special days (birthdays and anniversaries).
4. You provide support and encouragement when they experience hardships or difficult times.
5. You provide thorough and accurate performance reviews.

The opportunity for growth.
It is difficult to be motivated when you are doing “more of the same.” The times when we feel the greatest sense of accomplishment are when we have been challenged. The following ideas will help ensure that people are growing:

1. Invite individuals to meetings they normally would not attend.
2. Have people represent you at meetings.
3. Set stretch goals at levels that are not easy to reach, yet not impossible.
4. Rotate leaders or employees into positions where they need to acquire new knowledge to be effective.
5. Assign individuals projects they have never done before.
6. Encourage everyone to set “learning goals.”

Now, it’s time to ask yourself, “Am I offering to my employees what they need to be motivated?”

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