Goal-setting Matters, a Lot

Are you kicking 2022 off by setting fresh goals? Good call - having goals can help you stay focused and get so much more out of the new year. Goals give life meaning, direction and purpose, and help you get out of bed with enthusiasm every single day.

While it’s important to enjoy the journey and find fulfillment in the present moment without waiting for something external to make you happy, having a results-oriented mindset can also enhance your life and career.

Results matter and a goal-oriented mindset helps teach that. That’s a very crucial lesson to learn because a lot of people like to say it’s just the journey that matters, but no, arriving at the destination actually matters too. Who you become is important but getting there is as crucial too. 

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link

But don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Making mistakes during the process of goal setting can backfire and discourage you. Here are some simple ideas to set yourself on the path to setting meaningful goals for the New Year.

No timelines. Without a timeline, it’s so easy for a goal to fall to the side. The biggest common mistake is that people don’t give their goals deadlines.

Without a deadline, it’s just a dream, it’s just an idea. We need to create urgency and work against the clock, and there needs to be a consequence for not achieving the goal. Assess your goals. Are they things that you want to have achieved by the very end of the new year? Or are there some goals on the list that will most likely be accomplished by mid-year? 

Estimating how much time you’re giving yourself for tackling your various objectives will ensure you keep your eyes on the finish line.

Zero Accountability. There are three types of accountability: self-accountability (telling yourself that you’re going to accomplish something), coach accountability (hiring a coach to work with you), and public or peer accountability.

Peer accountability is the most important one because it’s about mentioning your goals to people you don’t want to disappoint. The most powerful way to set goals is to tell a best friend or someone you truly do not want to let down. Without factoring in mechanisms for staying accountable is a mistake you’ll want to avoid if you want to be successful.

Be well-rounded. Glorifying hustle culture and burnout is so yesterday. When setting goals, it’s important to favor well-roundedness over single-mindedness.
You would not want to be a one-dimensional human being, you want to set goals in your physical life, intellectual life (which can be related to your career, mindset or growth), relational/emotional life (could be goals you want to set with your spouse or family members), and spiritual life.

With these simple yet unique ideas, you are better prepared and ready to face the challenges of the New Year. Believe in yourself!

Developing Skillsets for Success

If you’re in the job market, chances are you’ve come across plenty of job descriptions where the requirements say something like, “must have attention to detail,” or some iteration of that phrase. Some of you might even have this desirable quality listed as a punchy bullet point on your resume.

Attention to detail continues to top the list for desirable qualifications because it clearly sets up expectations on both sides. You know what a prospective employer wants, and said employer also knows what you can bring to the table. Employees who have exceptional attention to detail, frequently require less supervision, and they don’t tend to make costly mistakes.  

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link 

According to experts, poor attention to detail not only impacts the individual but the organization as well. We live and work in a world where change and innovation are happening at a pace never before seen. It is easy to get sloppy when a lot is being thrown at you and where you are expected to make speedy decisions.

What seems to be missing for developing focus for pending tasks? Are you organizing your goals and process to achieve those goals as a daily routine? Is there a skillset that needs to be developed further for your continued success and growth?

The result of not focusing enough attention on the details can be devastating professionally, and they will also have an impact on the company you work for. If “attention to detail” falls into your “weaknesses category”, and you skip over certain job descriptions for that reason, there are things you can do to improve it.

Get Organized 

 

Whether it’s your calendar, your emails, or even your desk, one of the first steps to sharpening your attention to detail is to get organized. Knowing what’s on your calendar for the week ahead will ensure that you don’t miss any important deadlines or meetings. Moreover, managing your inbox and clearing out digital clutter will allow you to prioritize what’s important. 

Make Lists 

This may sound like a cliché, no brainer because everyone does it — but that’s probably because it works. The good news is, it’s as easy as it sounds. Make a list of what you need to accomplish and check each item off as you complete it. And don’t think this is an amateur move. Everyone (even surgeons and pilots) needs a list, a well-designed checklist will lead to better outcomes.

Focus – Don’t Try To Multitask 

Attention is a finite internal resource, and research tells us time and again that multitasking is a myth and we’re not really good at it. While multitasking is often glorified, the truth is it splits our focus and diminishes our attention to detail. To maintain your focus, refer to your list (remember) and focus on one task at a time.  

Speak Up and Contribute

Most business owners and leaders often wish their employees would speak up more? 

Here are a few things that Employers want their Employees to talk about:

When You are not Being Challenged

If you are slogging through your days working on tasks you find mundane and uninspiring, it’s your job to speak up and say something. Bosses recognize that the majority of employees want to be growing and making their way up the corporate ladder, but remember: they cannot read your mind. They might not realize that you’re not being challenged or may think you have enough on your plate already, so be sure to set the record straight.

What is stopping you from seeking out challenging tasks for your company? Lack of confidence in being able to handle the challenge? Dig deep for the solution.

When You notice low morale among Others

The next step is to identify the elements of the meaning-
ful professional progres

The next step is to identify the elements of the meaning-ful professional progressWhen You Notice Low Morale among Others

Most bosses can see or feel when there’s tension among the ranks, but not always. Depending on the company, bosses may be in or out for various things and not realize how the team is actually doing. Your boss will appreciate your read on the employee morale situation whether for good or bad. Companies depend on the health of the teams within them, so be willing to point out when you see an issue and fight for things that will bring the team closer together.

What steps are required to overcome the low morale issue? How soon can you come up with a morale booster idea? Find the strength of purpose to banish low morale from the team.

When You Believe You have a Better Idea

Do not keep your innovative ideas to yourself! If you notice a way that policies, procedures, or processes could be better, speak up. Ideas, even “dumb” ones, spark other ideas that spark other ideas that lead to excellent ideas. So, in reality, there are no “dumb” ideas. Be willing to point out and share solutions on how you believe things could be done better – for the company and for the employees too. What would lead to a spark/idea to take root for the team?Why do you think newer and fresh ideas are hard to come by? 

These and similar questions like them are required to begin anew the process of finding solutions for problems that seem insurmountable and will bring the team together! 

Let me leave you with this important query: What are the steps that will be taken on an immediate basis to tackle these issues head on? Happy Troubleshooting! 

Smart Time Management

Time is our most precious resource. And whether you’re a high-powered executive or just starting your career as an intern, it doesn’t discriminate: We all have 24 hours in a day!

But, when the temperatures get warmer and the A/C is blasting in the office, those 24 hours all of a sudden seem even shorter. Even as a dedicated professional, you might find yourself longingly looking at the clock while trying to power through your tasks as fast as possible so you can head out and dive into the non-working half of your life.

 

The good thing is that depending on how you manage your resources, you can manipulate time and get the most of your working hours — and enjoy life outside of work to the fullest as well. Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. 

 

So, before you dive in and enthusiastically adopt a new workflow, it’s important to embrace a couple of important mindset shifts.

 

First and foremost, you need to switch your thinking from time spent to results achieved. The most effective time-management tactics are about improving efficiencies and maximizing the impact of every minute spent — not all tasks and activities are even and every working hour is precious.

 

Keeping results at the forefront of your mind will help you get the most of any productivity method. Set the 80/20 rule which  states that 80 percent of results tend to be caused by 20 percent of efforts. Think of your most important project and its most crucial deliverables and outcomes. Are you spending most of your time on activities that move the needle towards the successful completion of that project? Or do you regularly get caught up in things like attending meetings with unclear agendas or answering emails?

 

Next, you must be willing to be real with yourself when it comes to the way you currently spend your time. Are you stuck in a spiral of over-commitment because you’re afraid of saying no? Do you tend to procrastinate or are you a multitasking addict? Assessing the present with honesty and humility is the first step towards building a schedule that allows for more freedom. 

Try time-blocking which is about dividing your calendar into blocks allocated to specific sets of activities. If you’ve got a lot on your plate, you can fight off that feeling of overwhelm by planning in advance how you want to split up your various activities throughout the week.

So, as long as you regularly check in with yourself and your productivity levels and are willing to focus on working smarter instead of harder, time management should be a piece of cake to enjoy (watch those calories!). 

Best Meeting Practices in the New Year

Yet another week, another calendar full of meetings. It can be easy to go through the motions of a daily stand-up or yet another debrief and forget that your contributions, level of engagement and facilitation or participation style in meetings can actually reveal a lot about who you are as a professional.

Experts wish professionals took meetings more seriously and learned about the science behind highly engaging, collaborative meetings.

There are three foundational areas that effective process leaders master: How to manage themselves so they don’t end up being the cause of a poorly led meeting, how to manage the process so meetings flow and build logically towards achieving desired outcomes, and how to manage others to maximize participation.

Beyond helping you improve these three foundational areas, deconstructing your meeting habits can actually uncover fascinating information about your professional priorities and leadership style and even gear you up for greater career success.

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link

Keep in mind, there are three types of meeting leaders: content-focused, process-focused, or a hybrid of both.

The content-focused meeting leader tends to be ‘tell-oriented,’ specifically there to advocate, train, educate. This type of leader holds all the cards in terms of what ideas are put forward. A process-focused meeting leader is there to leverage the wisdom and ideas of meeting participants. They are ‘ask-oriented.’ They are there to ensure the meeting is structured to maximize the engagement of all participants and to ensure all voices are heard and considered. A hybrid meeting leader is excellent at moving back and forth between these roles, ensuring a good balance between telling and asking when required. Understanding where you fall within the spectrum of asking and telling can help you round out your weaknesses and maximize your strengths.

Your style may reveal much about you - Do you tend to hog the spotlight or are you focused on getting the best ideas out of the people around the table? Whatever your habits are, they might reveal traits that show up in your day-to-day work life way past the doors of a conference room.

A meeting leader mainly focused on content and tells most of the time tends to be a more ‘command and control’ type. They see themselves as the expert, as those who have the right ideas, and view the audience as not as important or relevant to tap into for alternative perspectives. A process-oriented meeting leader tends to facilitate and be collaborative, seeking out other opinions with the understanding that they may not have all the right answers.

Some meeting habits can actually have a negative impact on your career development. Here is a suggested list of meeting habits to avoid as much as possible if you want to get ahead:

·      Telling more than asking

·      Advocating policy, process, or organizational change without checking in with those affected and giving them some voice or allowing for venting

·      Having meetings where the purpose and outcomes are not clear

·      Dominating the meeting and swaying decision-making towards one’s own personal agenda

·      Being unclear about how much decision-making authority participants have

Ultimately, you can think of meeting dos and don’ts as an extension of the continuous practice of being an effective, impactful leader.

Leaders that are more facilitative tend to get the best buy-in and follow-through by their team members. This is easily explained by the fact that when my voice is heard, appreciated, and utilized in a final decision, I’m more likely to want to be part of fulfilling that decision.

On the other hand, when a meeting leader just tells and limits input from the meeting participants, most people disengage and feel less committed to the final outcomes.

Lifelong Learners are High Achievers

History’s greatest men were lifelong learners — many of them devoted quality time to self-education. Albert Einstein, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard Feynman, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton committed a lot of time to personal learning either in addition to traditional education or as a substitute to formal schooling.

The most successful people in history were dedicated to self-learning. They recognize the need to grow and deepen their understanding of themselves and interesting subjects. We would be wise to follow in their footsteps.

Theodore Roosevelt was rumored to read a book a day. Learning for him was a path to professional success. He wrote his first book at 23. 

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link

Lifelong learning is the “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. It’s about learning to know, learning to do, and learning to be. Cultivating the mind is essential for personal growth.

Our whole life is an Education — we are ‘ever-learning,’ every moment of time, everywhere, under all circumstances something is being added to the stock of our previous attainments. Self-learning is a habit many of us can emulate to thrive in an ever-changing world of work. With all the disruptions in the modern economy, ongoing skill acquisition is critical to professional relevance.  

More than ever, learning is for life if you want to stay relevant in the world of work. If you are aiming to become a lifelong learner, some of these habits can be useful for you.

Successful learners prioritize self-learning 

Are your skills, knowledge, and experience more valuable today than they were a year ago? We can all become obsolete over time. The fast pace of change today also means we can become obsolete faster than ever before.

Committing to self-learning can help you do your current job better and remain adaptable even when things change in the future. Scheduling continuous or lifelong learning can help you stay relevant. Make lifelong learning a priority in your life to consistently improve your skills, knowledge, and experience.

Effective learners are voracious readers 

The most successful people we know today don’t stop learning. They read a lot — they continually expand their knowledge despite what they already know or have achieved. Elon Musk grew up reading two books a day, according to his brother. Bill Gates reads 50 books per year. Mark Zuckerberg reads at least one book every two weeks.

Why do the world’s smartest and busiest people find time for self-learning while others make excuses about how busy they are?

The answer is simple: Learning is the single best investment of our time. Or as Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Efficient learners maintain to-learn lists 

We experience many learning opportunities every day but we can’t commit to them when we are busy getting other equally important things done. We often have to let them pass at the moment because of other tasks. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get back to them later. 

To make the process of learning easier, create a to-learn list, and write down a list of concepts, thoughts, ideas, mental models, and topics you want to explore.

You can later explore them in your downtime or at the specific time you have planned for your learning and make the most of your downtime. Learning is the best when one is relaxed. We all have times when it just feels like the right time to learn something new. Use those times to learn things you bookmark.

Unique Leadership Qualities

It's been found that you can achieve great results and have meaningful relationships at the same time.

Whether your company is a startup or an established firm, I want to share about a compelling leadership model that will get the best out of employees.

Research into a new model of servant-leadership suggests that five characteristics of servant-leadership, when actively demonstrated up, down, and across levels, can lead to a thriving and result-oriented work culture. 

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my 13-book Series “Becoming a Pioneer” – Join the Pioneers Club by Clicking this Link

This newer idea suggests, servant-leaders are people-centric, not egocentric. Their winning formula is to grow people and serve by shining the spotlight on their employees.

Servant-leaders are far from soft; they demand excellence and command a much higher level of trust from their tribe. Over time, according to Grant, they're much more successful.

Today, scores of successful companies embrace the practice of servant leadership, including Southwest Airlines, Zappos, Nordstrom, The Container Store, and WD-40 Company.

Learn and practice these Five characteristics. While this research is one of many in the servant leadership sphere, it remains one of the favorites.

Organizations looking to boost their leadership effectiveness can start with pursuing the practice of these five traits across all levels of management, in order to have an impact on the people they employ, and on the client’s they serve. 

1. Being able to display authenticity.

The best leaders are learners; they are open to input from others, even those below them. They are transparent and self-aware -- seeking to understand themselves and others to quickly problem solve to an agreed solution. By showing up daily with their most authentic selves and maintaining a high level of integrity, they generate trust seamlessly and develop more productive relationships than their less authentic counterparts.

2. Being able to value others as workers and human beings.

True leaders put others first before self. They will, first and foremost, believe and trust in their people -- their strengths, abilities, potential, and commitment to the job -- before they must earn it. These leaders maintain a high view of their people, show them respect and dignity, and will listen receptively to them and their needs, in a nonjudgmental way 

3. Being able to grow their people.

In the research data, great leaders provide for learning and growth, and develop potential and career paths for others.  They also model appropriate behavior and build up their people through encouragement and affirmation.

4. Being able to provide direction.

They will envision the future and utilize intuition and foresight to direct the organization forward; they take initiative and move out ahead; and they consistently clarify goals and expectations to get to the vision.

5. Being able to share leadership.

Research found that the strength in great leaders comes from sharing power and decision making and pushing authority down to empower others. Because of their selfless nature, sharing their status in relation to position or honor is a given. Lastly, they use persuasion to influence others instead of coercion.

Whatever your belief about which evidence-based, leadership framework or philosophy is most effective, isn't as important as first finding out the health of your organization!  Once top decision-makers clearly understand how employees feel about the environment they work in, they can determine the best strategy for helping all levels of management successfully navigate the challenges and demands of the future.