Ask these questions and take action.
“How do I make real changes happen?”
goals
TRANSFORMATION in 2020 by Jim Johnson
We are fast approaching 2020. Many of us are looking ahead and formulating new goals and direction. Resolutions will be made. Later they will be broken.
What causes us to do this year after year? And when so many of us fail to follow through?
- Lack of discipline?
- Incorrect goals?
- This is more than wishful thinking?
Why do we even set goals for ourselves?
- To feel better about ourselves?
- To make others value us more?
- Societal pressure?
- Advertising pressure?
Let’s look at health goals. Millions of people right now are thinking about their health goals for 2020. Losing weight. Eating healthy foods. Exercise. Reduce medication. Those are all great and noble goals.
But for millions, these goals will be a fading thought very early in the year.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is said to be about 80 percent, and most lose their resolve by mid-February.
People will lose the desire to do what it takes to meet their goals. A warm cinnamon roll on a frigid February morning will win the day, and the slippery slope from that fresh baked goodness will loom large. Within days, health goals can be obliterated. “Oh, well, next year.”
Look back on your life 1 year ago. Reflect on this:
- How am I healthier today?
- How have I grown as a person, parent, spouse, leader in the past year?
- How has my spiritual life developed?
- How has my financial wellness improved?
“Well, ummm, I guess I’m really the same as I was back then. Actually, I’ve been this way for years.”
See, becoming better is not simply a matter of desire. Who doesn’t want to become healthier? More in tune spiritually? A better mom/dad/person? More secure financially?
We all do.
So what’s missing when we set goals and resolutions yet fail to follow-through so quickly?
What we need is TRANSFORMATION.
Let’s break this definition down:
- Profound – very great or intense.
- Radical – very different from the usual, sometimes to the extreme
- Change – not the same as before
- New direction – turn around and head on a different path
- More effective – results, better results, life-changing results
Allow me some liberty here. When I think of TRANSFORMATION, I think of the word repentance. When someone repents, there are 2 actions required:
- Turning away from something.
- Turning to something/someone.
To truly change your life (health, relationships, development, finances, etc.), this sense of repentance needs to be applied.
Health: I am turning from foods that harm me. I am turning to foods that heal.
Relationships: I am turning from behaviors that harm others. I am turning to behaviors that build bridges and create peace.
Finances: I am turning from undisciplined spending. I am turning to creating a plan to move me towards freedom.
Personal Development: I am turning from haphazardly moving through life. I am turning to intentional ways to grow.
Do you see the difference?
Let’s explore how TRANSFORMATION can happen in your life. Today, it is December 21, 2019. Think ahead to December 21, 2020.
- How will you feel if you truly TRANSFORMED your life?
- What kind of results would you realize?
- How will your health, spiritual life, relationships, finances, etc. all become better as a result of TRANSFORMATION?
- See yourself having improved these key areas of life. Visualize you being in a “profound, radically” different place. Do you like what you see? Doesn’t this excite you?
Fact: you can TRANSFORM your life. You can! In the posts to come, let’s learn and discover how TRANSFORMATION can become possible in our lives. I need it! I bet you do, too.
In the posts that follow, let’s learn together how we can TRANSFORM our lives. We’ll explore the TRANSFORMATION definition, creating habits, the power of documenting your progress in a journal, accountability, the idea that TRANSFORMATION is not a one-and-done proposition…and so much more. I’ll great resources that I’ve read/listened to from great people.
Do you want to remain the same person you’ve been for years (decades)? I don’t. True change requires TRANSFORMATION.
Join me in the journey! Let’s become better.
Goals!
I was featured in an article from our local paper about goal setting. The article was written by Lisa Green of the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“Holiday shopping, impeachment hearings, trade tariffs and the volatile stock market may be capturing many of the headlines, but in many workplaces, the year-end also means looking ahead.
It’s goal-setting season.
And that’s also true in many nonprofit organizations, even though they bear the challenge of realizing goals not just with paid staff, but through the generosity of time, talent and sometimes treasure from volunteers.
What could be.
What should be.
Goals.
Just thinking about the word can be daunting and yet energizing.
Achieving goals certainly requires more than vision and creativity.
“We might say we set goals, but sometimes we set hopes and dreams,” said Jim Johnson, a co-founder with his brother Jere Johnson of the local leadership and networking event called First Fridays.
Planning and being intentional are key, said Johnson, who is also vice president of member services at 3Rivers Federal Credit Union.
He suggests wrapping a SCARF around goals, using this five-pronged approach:
S: Specific goals are necessary. You have to get down to the details about what it will take for success.
Saying “I need to read more” might be a good concept, but it’s not specific enough. “I will read 12 books in 2020” will get you there, Johnson said.
C: You have to commit to your vision and goals. “Be passionate about achieving what you set up for yourself,” Johnson said through email, after a brief telephone interview. “Your goals should move you.”
A: Align your activities, behaviors, thoughts, and time around achieving your goals.
R: Review your goals regularly. “It is easy to get off track,” Johnson said. Review allows you to adjust and renew your focus.
F: Filter activities, attitudes and even people that don’t move you towards your goals. “If they don’t, ditch them,” Johnson said. “Don’t accept time wasters.”
Read the rest here: https://www.journalgazette.net/blog/lead-on/20191208/embrace-setting-specific-goals-for-2020
Keys to Being Focused by Jim Johnson
I came across these notes I wrote over 2 years ago. I thought I would share them here.
KEYS TO BEING FOCUSED:
- Understand your goals – what is needed to make your company successful?
- Align your activity around those goals.
- Make sure your team understands the corporate goals.
- Filter – if a project, activity, or attitude doesn’t move you, your team, or the company forward, ditch it. You don’t have time to waste.
Is Good Enough Good Enough? by Jim Johnson
Is good enough good enough? You’re tracking your results. You’re meeting some corporate goals. You’re exceeding others. You’re falling short on a couple. Overall, it’s pretty good. Your staff is happy. They’re feeling good about where they are. If things stay this way, the year could end good enough.
Is that good enough?
Does good enough foster new ideas and innovation?
Does good enough prepare your company for any unseen obstacles (i.e. gov’t regulations, economic sharp turns, major employer lay-offs, war, etc.)?
Does good enough build your company’s culture?
How does good enough protect your team from complacency?
What is the motivation to go out and find new business?
Believe me, I am a HUGE supporter of celebrating achievements! When your team has reached and surpassed new goals, party! I’m not talking about that here.
What happens when good enough (keep on keeping on) becomes good enough?
What I’m wondering is this:
* Will maintaining current sales levels be enough to grow your company?
* Is good enough enough momentum?
* Given your competition, the economy, your talent pool, will good enough keep you in business in 5 years?
* How will you fight stagnation with your staff? If there is no call to keep growing, pushing, reaching, stretching, achieving, what else is there?
* When does good enough become a decline in growth?
* When did good enough give cause for creating pride in the company? (Who cheers, “We’re #3! We’re #3!”?)
* Where is the line between perfection, excellence, and good enough?
I would love to read your insights on this.
Focus Means Sometimes Having to Say “NO” by Jim Johnson
When a leader is focused, things get done. When things get done, others take notice. When others take notice, the leader (many times) gets presented with more things to do.
WARNING: your focus could be in great peril!
You know your goals. You’re on your way to producing great results. You have your team focused on the right things.
Then someone from another department comes to you and says, “Hey, I’m leading a project. You are recognized as someone who gets things done. Your team is doing great. I would love to have your expertise on my project team. Would be willing to join this team to insure its success?”
Ego inflates. Common sense begins to fog over. WAIT!
There is a time and a place for everything. Is this project commitment the right time for you? Think about these things:
* Will this project help move the company forward or not? If not, say no.
* Is your involvement in the project that critical? If not, say no.
* Is the project leader desperate to build a project team? If so, say no.
* If you get involved, can you delegate some of your other tasks to others on your team? If so, say yes.
* Who will “own” this project initiative once the project is done and something new is implemented? If it’s you or your team, you should get someone on that project.
Saying “no” is not the end of the world or your career. If you say “no”, be sure to give a professional, clear explanation as to why you are not going to be involved.
Sometimes, being focused means you have to say “no”.
Focused or Obsessive? What Kind of Leader are You? by Jim Johnson
In business, successful people are focused. They know the difference between the truly important and that which is urgent. They know their goals. They look for the next challenge that will lead to more success. They keep their eyes on the prize in spite of obstacles.
FOCUS. OBSESSION.
Aren’t successful leaders really obsessing as well? Aren’t focus and obsession the same thing?
Obsession: “the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image or desire.” Synonyms: fetish, neurosis, craze, delusion
Focus: “close or narrow attention, concentration, or center of interest or activity.”
Synonyms: target, core, center, heart
From those definitions, these two words are clearly not the same.
Obsession has inherent blind spots. When someone is obsessed, they rarely see anything else. Their hunger and thirst for the object of their obsession blinds them to everything else – sometimes at their own peril. A drug addict or alcoholic is willing to sacrifice all for their obsession. Finances, family and friends are easily tossed aside in favor of their obsession.
Think about Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings”. His whole being was transformed on his quest to have and keep his “precious”. He lost everything for the ring – ultimately his own life.
Obsessions reveal mental/emotional weaknesses and even sickness. Obsessions are extremely selfish. Yes, at the center of an obsession is the desire to satisfy the self.
While being focused has a narrow concentration on a target, it is not to the exclusion of all else.
* Focus knows the target and modifies behavior to reach that target.
* Focus uses information and resources gathered from the surrounding environment to achieve results.
* Focus has a core – a center – the goal.
Many leaders today confuse these two words. The ineffective leader obsesses about his/her reputation, personal power, self-worth as they lord over their staff. Hitting goals becomes personal and not achieving goals becomes a personal affront.
Focused leaders are effective leaders. They empower others. They educate. They encourage their teams to succeed.
Focused leaders understand the targets and can clearly communicate them to others. They understand the story behind the numbers and they enjoy helping others understand.
Focused leaders know its not all about them. They know that an efficient, effective, educated team accomplishes far more with them than with an obsessive boss.
Focused leaders coach their team toward goals that strengthen the company and bring success built upon success.
Keys to Being Focused:
1. Understand your goals. What is needed to make your company successful? Know your metrics.
2. Align your activity around those goals.
3. Make sure your team understands and acts on the corporate goals.
4. Coach your team toward goal achievement.
5. Filter. If a project, activity or attitude doesn’t move you, your team, or the company forward, ditch it. You don’t have time to waste.
Each of us as leaders has choices everyday. Focus is your key to success.
Leadership is an Activity…not a Position by Dr. Martina G. McGowan
Everyone responds to good leadership! Period! It is in every aspect of your life, not just business. A mother is a leader in her home. A son may be leader of a team sport, or a daughter the leader of her debate team. A group relies on the person in charge to actually lead them to success. A true leader is highly ethical, honest and respected.
In every aspect of society there are leaders and followers. Are we born to be or become one or the other? No! Can you hone your leadership skills? Absolutely! Positively!
What things do we all admire in leaders we respect?
1. They think BIG! They don’t place an automatic ceiling in place. Instead, they look beyond the previous limits to find out how big or how much better something can be.
2. They are firmly focused on their goals.
3. They are clear. They make it known to everyone involved the final product/ goal that the team is working toward. Selling x number of widgets, or winning a football game. Know what you are aiming for.
4. People buy in. They can get compliance to their requests.
5. When goals are met, they celebrate the victory and the people. Then they set new goals or raise the bar.
People willingly follow your lead if you are honest, ethical, reliable, consistent and treat them with a modicum of respect. Rewarding someone when a job is well done is always appreciated.
A few simple rules of the road, and you can improve your own self-respect while becoming an inspiration to others. How great is that!
About Martina McGowan
Servant, MD (gynecologist), blogger, businesswoman, seminary student, mother, grandmother, sexual assault survivor’s advocate, minister, speaker, teacher, leader, writer, occasional haikuist
http://martinamcgowan.com/2013/07/leadership-is-activity-not-position/
Your Prime Directive by Jim Johnson
Remember the intro to the Star Trek TV program? “The ongoing mission…to seek out new life and new life forms…to boldly go where no one has gone before…” Once they found new life, they were to observe and not mess with it. This was their prime directive.
Each of us in our work as a prime directive (P.D.) as well. While it doesn’t involve space ships, transporters, and aliens (at least I don’t think it does), our P.D. shapes our days and guides our team’s activities. Right?
Too often, a manager can become involved in many things at work and take his/her eyes off the P.D. Busy-ness takes over and focus is lost. Then the call from the regional manager comes and you’re scrambling for words and excuses…
How do you keep the prime directive – your performance goals – the focus?
1. Make Goals Visible. Not just to you, but to your entire team. They need to understand the goals as well as the progress toward the goals. Communicate the goals weekly. Email your team. Use your intra-net to talk about your goals. As you do walk-bys, talk about the goals with your team.
2. Publish Goal Progress. Keep a scoreboard of your progress toward your goal. Don’t wait until the end of the month to see if you hit the goals. It’s too late then! Create smaller, stepping stone goals that will be the leading indicator of your progress. Everyone on your team needs to know where they are in regards to the achievement of your goals.
3. Tie Behavior to Goal Achievement. The goal of your team is not to be busy. Their activities and behavior MUST tie back to the goals. You cannot afford your team to waste their time on things that are not moving your department and company forward.
4. Recognize and Reward. When team members do all of the right things that help your team succeed, recognize and reward them. Don’t tell, “heck, that’s your job.” It is, but that tactic won’t last long for you. Build momentum by encouraging performance that impacts.
As a manager, you’ll be bombarded with stuff that will take your eyes off the goal. Part of your job is to manage that stuff. But your greater calling is to keep yourself and your team focus on that prime directive that will drive success for you, your team and your company.
Slow Down and Focus Why Don’t You? by Brian Hagman
Do you know someone who always seems to have a million things going on but doesn’t really get much done or have much success? Of course you do. We all do. What we think is helping us is really only delaying our own success. Too many projects and activities going on will not allow you to become extraordinary in your craft.
I recently heard that multitasking reduces your IQ by at least 10 points at any given time. I believe it judging by some of the mistakes I have made and what little I accomplished after trying to take on too much at once. So why don’t we slow down and focus? Below are just a few things I have begun to do in order help me from becoming an unproductive busy bee.
– I try to plan my day ahead of time so I don’t just wing it.
– Write down three of my most important goals or actions for that day and don’t worry about anything else unless I have these things completed or under control.
– This is really tough for me at the moment but I am trying to take on the most difficult or dreaded tasks first. It’s uncomfortable but I save a ton of time throughout the day. I can easily chew up hours doing meaningless tasks.
– Schedule phone calls and meetings instead of playing phone tag with people. Big time waster that can make me feel busy by leaving voice mails for everyone under the sun and returning calls that I missed from leaving all those voice mails.
– Stop worrying what people think if I don’t get back to them right away. Yes, some things need attention right away but the reality is that I do not have to respond to every email in less than 4.3 seconds. I try to focus on what’s really important and what tasks are going to get me closer to my 3 or 4 most important goals for that day. Which in turn will get me closer to my goals for the month and year. Jumping from one random task to another isn’t a trait of the world-class.
Read more and follow Brian’s blog here: http://brianhagman.com/slow-down-and-focus-why-dont-you/
Go, Leader, Grow! 