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Archive for the ‘goals & goal setting’ Category
Monday, June 28th, 2010
Did you pick up your new iPhone this week? Unless you slept on the street for a couple of days, chances are you will need to wait until supply balances out with demand. Isn’t it fascinating that people take time off work and sleep on the ground outside a store just to obtain a $200 device? Why do people put forth so much effort for so little?
It’s ironic that people sacrifice time and wages, lose sleep, and exert a significant amount of physical effort to obtain a unique possession. People are willing to spend money, buy “apps” (applications), and spend large amounts of time to become experts on such devices. Yet we rarely see this type of passion, energy, and motivation in the workplace to drive results and increase profits. Isn’t the time we spend at work more important and valuable?
Dr. George Odiorne, is a well known management expert known for his concept “Management By Objectives.” What if we spin this concept slightly and implement “Management By Motivation.” What if you create the conditions for motivation in your organization. Like a new gadget, toy, or phone, discover what stimulates a behavior change in people at work. Hint: Everyone is a little different. Organization, productivity, and improvement in profits will increase when individuals discover what excites them. If people get excited and involved in their work like it is the latest and greatest gadget phone, organizations will find it truly amazing as to how they can flourish. There is no doubt that excitement and involvement will make a huge impact on the bottom line of any organization.
 As I write this article, I stare at my new phone (the latest and greatest) in a box, ready to be turned on. However, I feel enough motivation in my work that writing this content offers more value to me, my team, and my organization than heading to the break room to play with a new gadget. Are your people motivated to work or motivated to head to the break room and play? Let’s get our people excited and engaged to the goals and objectives that benefits everyone.
“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”
-Aristotle
Tags: iphone hysteria, motivating employees, motivating work, motivation, motivation in the workplace, motivation to increase performance, work environment motivation
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Friday, June 18th, 2010
Whether you love them or hate them, goals are necessary. Goals unleash a powerful force that keeps organizations, teams, and individuals growing and improving, both professionally and personally. Without continuous regeneration, jobs and organizations can quickly become obsolete and irrelevant especially in our highly competitive marketplace.
Research has shown that individuals who set goals generally accomplish five to ten times more than those who have equal or better education and ability. In his research, Damon Burton, professor at the University of Idaho, found something even more striking about people who set goals.
• Have less stress and anxiety.
• Concentrate better.
• Are more self-confident.
• Perform better.
• Are happier and more satisfied.
 Ironically, goals (and the power they wield) can quickly become problematic unless we diligently use caution and our common sense. Like an invisible magnetic force, an errant or misleading goal can actually push people to act in inappropriate or unethical ways, sometimes engaging in risky behavior that isn’t beneficial for them or their organizations. Someone who pursues a reckless goal creates undue anxiety for others, encourages self-serving ambitions, and amplifies silo behaviors within an organization.
On the other hand, the most admirable and benevolent goal can be a miserable failure if isn’t developed carefully. A budding goal may have a focus that is too broad, too vague, too narrow, too aggressive, or without motivation. It is possible to have a goal that conflicts with other goals or you can simply have too many to complete. Sometimes, a seemingly very good goal can be perceived as threatening by other people; make certain that it is beneficial to all concerned. It has been said that the hardest task you will face is making the “right” goal. Many organizations use a goal-setting method defined as S.M.A.R.T –Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic, and Time-bound.
Too often, goals fail because people don’t believe this type of results driven leadership can be realized. It won’t matter how “good” the goal is if you can’t see it, feel it, or define it. You must believe in and then be ready to act on your goal.
Goals can be a potent force and are necessary to keep up with the constant change in our world. Use good judgment as you develop your goals and take the time you need to set goals that are well-defined. By keeping the five S.M.A.R.T. concepts in mind as you set your goals, you will increase your chance of success by five to ten times over those who don’t. As someone once said, “All good performance starts with “smart” goals.”
Tags: Goal failure, goal setting, Reaching Goals, results driven leadership, S.M.A.R.T. Goals Help To Improve Productivity, setting goals, SMART Goals
Posted in bottom line performance, goals & goal setting, planning | No Comments »
Monday, February 8th, 2010
With companies merge, employees leave one company for another, and new members of the workforce land their first jobs, many individuals are trying to form new teams. Regardless of the situation, most organizations encourage open and candid discussions between staff members among employees throughout the organization. These differences in perspective can elevate teams to a higher level of performance. Differences in opinion and/or outright conflict is natural, and it can be very productive. The key is how to use conflict to our benefit so we can reach these higher levels of performance.
So how does one operate on a conflicted team? We still need to be able to create a win-win solution for the team and the organization. How do we use conflict to our advantage?
1. Acknowledge Conflict
Acknowledging conflict can be uncomfortable, yet once the conflict is recognized and discussed the team will feel a sense of relief. People tend to be more effective when they can agree to work together and find mutually satisfactory solutions to common problems.
2. Gain Common Ground
Is there common ground between the parties involved in the conflict? Put the conflict in perspective based on the team’s goals. If everyone is committed to a common purpose, they should be willing to address any issue that may affect the team’s final outcome.
3. Understand Each Point of View
Gaining an understanding of difference perspectives does not necessarily mean gaining agreement on all sides. Here we must take the time both to understand and be understood as we gain information from all sides.
4. Attack the Issue(s), Not Each Other
Bickering or fighting with someone on the team is an unwanted stress, yet the issue needs to be addressed in order for the team to maximize its potential. The goal is to reach a solution that allows everyone to achieve individual/team goals without violating anyone’s values.
5. Develop an Action Plan
a. The team will outline specific steps that each person on the team will take in order to reach the team’s goal. Each person will be accountable for his/her role in the action plan, and the plan will be written on paper so that each person is aware of his/her responsibilities to the team.
As team members utilizes this five-step process to address issues and conflicts, they will see more win-win situations and the team will increase their levels of productivity.
Tags: problem solving, team work, Win-Win Situation
Posted in communication, conflict, goals & goal setting, organizational change, problem solving, teamwork | No Comments »
Monday, July 27th, 2009
All my life exercise and sports have been a huge part of who I am. As I got older and entered into the “real” world of work, family, and other responsibilities, I soon found myself in a position I had previously not known. I was 30 pounds overweight. It got me before I even noticed it was coming.
One day I heard an expert talking about exercise, the benefits of physical activity and the regret of doing nothing at all. He brought up the point that in many decisions we make in life, we can either discipline ourselves to do what we know we need to, or regret later doing nothing. One thing I know, “discipline weighs ounces”, “regret weight pounds”! I had to make a change.
I immediately set some goals for myself, and after three months I had lost 20 pounds. I was feeling great. Better yet, it was noticeable to others. One friend asked, “What are you doing? You have lost a lot of weight and are looking good. What diet are you on?” My reply was, “I am on the GOAL diet.” He looked at me confused and so I explained to him that I set goals for myself and then worked to achieve my goals.
By the look on his face, I think he was expecting a different answer. He went on to tell me that he had a goal of losing 25 pounds in 6 months, but he’s had that goal for 2 years. His biggest frustration was, “Why Can’t I Achieve My Goals?” I thought about the question for a while and here are three things you should ask yourself if you are struggling to achieve goals.
- Are your goals written down and reviewed daily? This is vital to your success in achieving goals. The old saying is, “Goals not written are just wishes.” Reviewing your goals on a daily basis will keep you focused and keep the Goal in mind every day.
- Is your Main Goal divided into “Mini-Goals”? My friend’s goal was to lose 25 pounds in 6 months. That was it. He didn’t have monthly, weekly, daily goals. Now that doesn’t mean divide the 25 pounds by 6 months to get your monthly goal and then divide that by 4 for your weekly goal. That would be the same goal. You need goals for specific actions that will help you achieve your Main Goal. In this example, a good weekly goal would be, to exercise 4 times this week. A good daily goal would be, to not have any sweets today. All these “Mini-Goals” keep you on track in reaching your Main Goal.
- Did you share your goal with someone else? There is something to be said about accountability. If we are only accountable to ourselves, it is too easy to justify a sub-par effort. Just knowing that someone is going to ask how we are doing, gives us more motivation to succeed.
Setting goals are important in all aspects of our lives. Used correctly, goals help to keep us on track and motivated to work hard and achieve what is most important in our lives. Used incorrectly, goals can hinder both our short-term and long-term success. As in the example with my friend, he had the goal for 2 years. Because he was not able to achieve that goal, he felt inadequate and unable to ever make the change. Therefore, he stopped trying. It is important to set our goals to be realistic and achievable (with some good effort). Then ask ourselves those 3 questions to make sure we are on the path to successful goal setting. If you Prefer Rules: 1. Write it down 2. Divide into Mini Goals 3. Create accountability.
Tags: Goal failure, overcomeing failure, planning ahead, self development, stand above the rest, Strategic Thinking, success and achievement
Posted in accountability, achievement, goals & goal setting | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 4th, 2009
Hard to believe we are so far in the year already. Looking back, when was the last time you actually looked at or considered this years goals, objectives, and priorities? Is your business plan on track? Are you achieving the results you expected for this year? How are you doing with the S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic, Time-bound) goals you set?
Today we live in an era when managers and employees want to exercise more accountability. With accountability comes increased responsibility and a duty to self-evaluate and measure one’s progress. Having worked with over 1,000 sales representatives and managers, setting SMART goals was a key part of the annual planning process.
Even with the planning and the desire to be more accountable, only the TOP performers (top 20%) routinely review their annual goals, making sure they are on target with these goals, and making necessary revisions in order to meet their goals. Too many wait until an annual or a semi-annual performance review to evaluate their goals.
As you take time to review your S.M.A.R.T. goals, the following questions may help you improve your overall performance. Spend a minute or two to really think about:
- Are you demonstrating a sense of urgency, focus, and priority in achieving your goals?
- Are you holding yourself accountable? If you are a leader, are you holding others accountable?
- Have you evaluated and selected effective strategies that will help you achieve your objectives, goals and priorities?
- Are you reviewing the environment and adapting your strategies to maximize opportunities and reduce challenges?
- With your customers – internal and external – are you part of the solution, not part of the problem?
- Are you developing effective business strategies based on the changing market environment and customer’s needs?
- Are you learning and implementing better and more effective ways to serve, impact, and empower customers?
By routinely reviewing your S.M.A.R.T. goals, you will ensure your strategies and tactics are helping you achieve the results that will put you on top in 2009.
Tags: goals, setting goals, SMART Goals, strategies
Posted in goals & goal setting, performance | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Earlier this year one of my friends was trying to convince me to compete in a triathlon. I began to think to myself that I need to try something different and to challenge myself. My friend has done several triathlons and is currently training to compete in an Ironman triathlon. With his encouragement, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Once I told him I was going to do it, he told me that I needed to sign up or I wouldn’t follow through. I put off signing up for about two weeks because of my busy schedule and I was traveling for work. Upon my return, my friend again asked me if I had signed up yet. My response was “No, not yet.” He commented that if I didn’t sign up soon, it wouldn’t happen. So the next day, I finally made the commitment and I signed up for the event.
 I was already in good enough physical condition to go out and complete in the bike and run portion without much training. However, the swim portion had me a little nervous. About three weeks before the triathlon, I met with my friend so he could coach me on swimming techniques and advise me on his best practices from his past experience. His guidance helped tremendously. Not only did he give me some pointers, but he also swam with me to show me how it was done. He also took time to practice an open-water swim with me before the competition so I could experience it prior to the event. If you have never done an open-water, long-distance swim, it can be intimidating and overwhelming. This wasn’t about physical conditioning for the race, it was about mental conditioning.
On August 23rd, I competed in my very first triathlon. It was a “Sprint” level of competition which required that I swim ½ mile, bike 12 miles, and run 3 miles. The help I received from my friend and coach was huge for me. When the race results came in, I didn’t finish first in my age group, but I did finish in 9th place with a time of 1 hour and 33 minutes. A pretty good result for a first time participant and considering there were 33 people in my age group that competed.
As I look back on the experience, I was able to carry out the personal conditioning and accomplish my goal. The most valuable part of the preparation was my friend and coach. He provided me with much mental help in preparation, he offered a road bike to use during the race, all while he trained for the “Olympic” level of the same event. He was highly supportive; he helped push me to enter the race and motivated me to do something new in my life. He made this event easy! This is one role a coach can serve. A coach can provide experience, motivation, verbal and tangible support. Most importantly, a coach helps people figure out how to do things, and empowers individuals. A good coach will let go of control and let individuals learn, execute, and do things on their own. Hopefully we all have a coach like this in our lives and at our workplaces. With a little effort and energy, a coach can take a good team member and push them into a higher performing team member. Then it can become contagious. After my triathlon, my wife, with two of my sons, competed in a mini-triathlon only 1 week later. Coaching can really inspire people to do new things and to set goals that will raise personal worth and development and enhance the results of any organization.
Tags: business coaching, Coaching
Posted in coaching skills, goals & goal setting, motivation | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
 REACHING FOR GLORY
As the Summer Olympics Games recently came to a close. I reflected back on the games. I remember that during the opening ceremonies, contingents from each represented country walked into the stadium ready to take on the worlds best. Some countries had only a small number of competitors, while others a very large number. Do you remember the vast number of athletes there were inside the stadium after they had all filed in and found their place to join in the ceremony? To me, it was like a sea of happy faces – each with his/her own dream of Olympic glory. For some, merely attending the Olympic Games and representing their country was glory enough. For others, winning a medal was their only measure of success. According to the Olympic website, a total of 958 medals were awarded during the Summer Games. As there are only three medals awarded in each event, I wondered about the vast number of athletes, among the 10,500 competing, who returned home without winning a medal.
SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
Despite the fact an athlete did not meet the goal of winning an Olympic medal, those individuals should not consider themselves as having failed. Though some may not have this perspective, I hope they experience a sense of pride for having competed and strive to do their best. Those who felt they should have won and did not, might have failed in that effort, but not to those who appreciated their performance.
As I reflect on the interviews with these athletes, it seemed like those who did win recalled their long hard journey to get to the top of their sport, while those who lost typically mentioned that they learned from the experience and as a result will have a better chance of winning in the future.
LESSONS FOR BUSINESS
Like the Olympics, people fail in business and obviously don’t see success all of the time. Rarely does one person or an organization lack competition and very often the stakes are extremely high. What differentiates a true leader or a successful organization is the response to their failures or loss. Those who fail and wallow in misery, often spend their time and energy making excuses for themselves and focusing on the negative. However, true leaders recognize that they may not always be a winner, but they can be successful by learning from failures and improving their performance for the next time. While they might not be comfortable with failure or loss, they understand that they can use it to their advantage.
Like the athletes of the Olympic Games, true leaders and successful organizations will be back to compete. They have increased confidence and chance of success by learning from past failures. They will have had the opportunity to identify areas for improvement and have a better grasp of their competition.
Tags: failure, leadership, success, true leaders
Posted in goals & goal setting, leadership, talent | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
 Research suggests that individuals can achieve an improvement in work performance by as much as 20-25% simply by goal setting. Does that statement make you want to read further? If this type of return on investment was the next big deal on Wall Street, I would have everyone’s attention. Goal setting is not a new concept yet surprisingly, it is often ignored or forgotten.
A few days ago I gave a presentation to a local association on goal setting. Most of the individuals who attended the presentation were well-educated, experienced working professionals who were considered very successful. After opening my presentation I asked the audience to raise their hands if they had set goals or resolutions for the New Year. About 60% raised their hands. My next question was “How many of you remember your goals and resolutions?” The hands came down to only a few.
Goal setting is basic in the overall realm of personal and organizational performance improvement. Anyone who wants to take the time, can easily do it. With just a little information and a little time spent learning about the power of goal setting, you can significantly improve productivity and performance in your own personal and professional life.
During my presentation I was so shocked to see people writing like crazy to capture everything I was saying, as if I were offering them the secret to life. I’ve rarely seen an audience so enthralled with the information I was presenting, especially as I began to share with participants the concept of a SMART goal.
After seeing the value this audience received from learning about goal setting, I thought I would share this small piece of it with you – the SMART Goal.
A S.M.A.R.T. goal is a set of criteria that will help you define what specifically it is you want to achieve. It contains the following criteria:
Specific – Is the goal clear and well defined?
Measurable – Is the change or intended outcome measurable?
Action-oriented – Does the goal require an actionable behavior?
Realistic – Can the goal be reasonably achieved?
Time-bound – Do you have a deadline for completion?
Having a goal is good, but having a “SMART” goal is even better. By using the SMART criteria and putting your goal setting objectives on paper, you will significantly improve your performance and productivity – maybe even by as much as 25%
Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.- Aristotle
Tags: S.M.A.R.T. Goals Help To Improve Productivity - Smart G
Posted in goals & goal setting | 2 Comments »
Monday, February 18th, 2008
“Hey you. Yeah, you over there. What are you doing?” “If I don’t see that report on my desk by 3:00, you are fired!” It is amazing how powerful just a few words can be. Words can be used to put down, degrade, and discourage or to build up, edify, and encourage. Managers who try to lead with a command and control approach will likely get only what they ask for and not much more, but team members will not be motivated to be highly successful. A great leader is one who motivates others in a positive way and inspires them to accomplish tasks and assignments with effectiveness. The motivation of a team or workforce doesn’t necessarily lie on the teammates or the co-workers themselves, rather in the leader and coach who guides them.
In order for organizations to compete in today’s highly competitive economies, employees need leaders who inspire them, instill a desire for excellence, and have the ability to light a fire within their team. While there are many styles and theories on how to motivate others, a lot can be learned from the similarities and differences between two major theories: the goal theory and coaching.
Similarities
A vital part of both the goal theory model and the coaching model is feedback. In order for goals to be achieved, one must receive immediate feedback to see where improvement is needed in order to accomplish the goal. Good coaching requires constant feedback on behaviors, attitudes, and skills for long-term change or improvement. It is important in both of these models to be specific and concise and avoid generalities or exaggerations.
Another similarity between the two is that the parties within both models must be in agreement, meaning that the followers must accept the goals and advice placed before them. If the one being coached rejects what the coach says, then little can be accomplished. Likewise, when a group member rejects the goals placed by the group or the leader, he or she will not be motivated to accomplish the goal completely or in a timely manner.
Finally, both theories support the notion that groups are more effective than individuals. With goal setting theory, employees working as a team toward a common goal are more productive and effective than individuals with individual goals. Likewise, in coaching, group members are considered part of the team and encouraged to serve as backup resources for each other. This then produces greater group performance.
Differences
The differences between coaching and the goal theory are very distinct. Goal setting is demanding. It often can cause frustration and tension when goals aren’t met and people become discouraged and dissatisfied. Goals themselves, the very basis of the theory, do not motivate. The motivating factor is a desire to avoid becoming a failure. Sometimes, this negative motivation can become so strong that a leader will demand from him/herself and others to do whatever it takes to reach a specific goal. In extreme cases this can even lead or result in unethical behavior.
On the other hand, coaching is about the person. It has to do with making permanent changes. Coaches are taught to listen attentively and genuinely care about the success and welfare of the team member. They do not get lost in goals or achieving personal greatness, but are committed to team accomplishments and personal pride. The coaching style motivates through praise, recognition, empowerment, personal development, and personal relationships. Unlike the goal theory, coaching provides a support system.
Conclusion
It is evident that the goal theory is more task-oriented, whereas coaching is more people-oriented. Coaching can be effective because a world-class coach will implement a form of goal theory in his/her coaching but will add support so that person can complete the goal successfully. These two theories can be highly effective if used in tandem to motivate and inspire others to greater performance.
Posted in coaching skills, goals & goal setting | 1 Comment »
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