Do you have a target for what you are trying to accomplish? Today’s post by Mark Miller is a reminder that the target is the place to start.
I saw a cartoon years ago in which Charlie Brown shot an arrow at a fence and then proceeded to draw a circle around the arrow. At some level, he found this satisfying. This is not how great leaders think.
Having just returned from our annual meeting with over 5,000 chicken people present, I am thankful we took the time to draw the target before we shot the arrow. We will see what the attendees have to say, but preliminary reports are positive. I think the event hit the mark.
Here’s the leadership lesson that comes to mind as I reflect on the event. One of the reasons it was a success—not the only reason, but one of them–is that we decided what we were trying to accomplish before we created the event. We drew the target BEFORE we shot the arrow.
I’m wondering how often, as leaders, we fail to clearly define the target. I think about all the times my leadership efforts have fallen short … how many of those failures can be attributed, directly or indirectly, to an unclear target or goal?
There are many things leaders CANNOT do for their people. However, clarity regarding intent should never be in short supply. People must always know what they are trying to accomplish.
[Tweet “”The greatest gift leaders can give their people is clarity.” #Vision “]
The power of clarity transcends targets, goals, and objectives – it includes vision, values, and strategic intent, as well as other tactical issues. But what we are trying to accomplish cannot get lost in the process.
When you identify the target with crystal clarity, I think you may be amazed at how often your team will hit the mark.
[Tweet “”Clarity enables alignment, and alignment is a prerequisite for performance.” #ActAsOne “]
To learn the 4 essentials of building a high performance team pick up a copy of Mark’s book, The Secret of Teams, for those you lead.
Tag: goals
This week’s Friday post comes from Mark Miller. His practical post surfaces and solves the greatest problem most of us have. See if you can relate.
I Think I Know Your Problem…
What do you struggle with as a leader? Based on countless conversations with leaders, I think I know. I didn’t have language to capture all these conversations until recently. Here’s what I think… the number one issue facing many leaders is forgetfulness.
Now, this is an easy topic for me to relate to… I’m at the point in life I can hide my own Easter eggs. However, forgetfulness in a leadership context is no trivial matter. It can have catastrophic effects.
Let me explain my moment of clarity on this topic; it came just a couple of weeks ago while listening to Michael Gerber. If you don’t know about Michael, he is most famous for a book, actually a series of books, around the idea of the E Myth.
Michael was the first guy I know who popularized the powerful concept that leaders need to work “on” their business not “in” their business. He contends most business owners (and many leaders) are technicians who succumbed to an entrepreneurial seizure and started their own business.
He believes his “on the business” mindset is their way to escape the trap they are building for themselves. I think there is a lot of truth in Michael’s premise, but that’s not what caught my attention.
Michael was talking about why so many leaders get caught in the day-to-day tactical activities of their business. He contends they forgot what they wanted to build from the outset. He went on to say, a leader is someone who can remember what they set out to create.
Really? Could that be true? Let’s try to test his theory:
Do you know any leader who set out to build a team, a department, or an organization that when fully orbed would suck the life out of them? I don’t. Yet, that’s what so many leaders are actually doing. I guess they forgot the original vision!
Many leaders are creating a structure and a system in which they are indispensible to day-to-day operations. When leaders get trapped in the heads down activities of the daily grind, they forfeit the opportunity to build something bigger than themselves.
If leaders don’t invest time to work “on” their team, department or organization, they will become blinded to the truth they are not creating what they set out to build: an organization with ever-growing capacity for influence, opportunity and income.
The prescription I have shared with leaders to escape this trap is simple and yet, for many it is so painful it is just out of their grasp…
Invest time outside the four walls of your organization thinking, planning and working to build what you’ve always dreamed of creating.
[Tweet “”Invest time outside the four walls of your organization thinking, planning and creating.””]
Unfortunately, only time on task can bring the future into reality. Until then, you will be a prisoner of your current situation. All you need is some time to begin planning your escape. Don’t let the tyranny of today steal your future.
Start this week. Find 2 hours to work “on” your organization.
Your First Assignment: Working away from your office, write out in great detail what it is you are trying to build. And then, tape your description to your bathroom mirror for 90 days. Or, put it anywhere else you would like so it can serve as a constant reminder. To succeed as a leader, you must be able to remember what you are trying to build.
If you need any inspiration regarding what type organization you may want to build, that’s the topic of my book, Chess Not Checkers.
How do you track your progress and monitor the impact of your actions? How do you know if you are winning? As a leader, you should have an answer to these questions. My answer: look at your scorecard.
What makes an idea sticky? For me, a picture is extremely helpful. Not only can an image create a memory hook, the right picture can provide understanding and even insight. While thinking and writing about High Performance Organizations over the last several years, I’ve been searching for just such a picture.
I was staring at a blank laptop screen thinking about the future. I was considering a simple question; one I’ve answered every year for decades: what do I want to be true in my life in a year that is not true today?
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Today's Challenge: We're Stuck!
Have you ever been on a team that was stuck? I have – it’s no fun. However, it can happen, whether you’re playing on a recreation league softball team, serving a non-profit organization, or working on a team at the office. Today’s question is: How do you get your team unstuck?
Last week, I wrote about the challenge of doing the right things vs. the nice things. As simple as the idea is, it can be far more complicated in real life. Sometimes it’s hard to discern – which is the right choice?
I’ve been thinking and writing about teams a lot over the last few years. I’ve observed some great teams and many others who were struggling. The potential causes for underperformance are numerous. Recently I discovered a new one. Some teams struggle because the leader is not operating in a team paradigm.
What’s the difference in a Strategic Plan and an Operating Plan? Do you need both? Many organizations seem to be unclear as to the difference between these two very different types of plans. I believe both are essential if we’re going to maximize the success of our organizations.
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The Best Performance Review Ever?
Think about the best performance review you’ve ever had – what made it great? I’m guessing it was not a stand alone event. Let me explain… Ken Blanchard taught me years ago that rarely will an isolated review of performance pay huge dividends. Only when it is part of a larger process does it (the review) add maximum value. What could that process look like? I’ll suggest five components to a solid Performance Management System.