A Simple Yet Powerful Goal Setting Technique

Happy New Year!

How is the goal setting going?

If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed with setting goals in each area of your life, or if you are overwhelmed now that you have set goals in every area of your life and you are already wondering where you’re going to get the time to do it all, then you’re not alone.

I’ve been goal setting for years, and while I (and the rest of the world) may get pumped up by all the wonderful things I’m going to accomplish and all the changes I’m going to make, what I’ve learned is that there is only so much time.

It’s an old story, but if you want to know how much of the goal setting (and accomplishing) really goes, just drive by your local gym’s parking lot during the first week of January and compare it to the first week in March.

I once heard Brian Tracy talk about setting goals, and he recommended a technique that not only made a lot of sense, but that turns out to be so powerful, it is life changing…

He said what you do is make a list of your top ten goals for the year. Think about what’s most important to you in the different areas of your life, and write down ten things.

Next, prioritize that list so that the most important goal is number one. The way to determine which goal is number one is to ask yourself which of the ten would have the most impact on your life if you actually reached it.

Once you have your list prioritized, throw away the other nine goals and make a commitment to making that number one goal a reality in the coming twelve months.

And once you’ve made that commitment, ask yourself what one action you can take today, right now, to begin reaching that goal. And once you have identified that, do it.

Before you go to sleep tonight, identify the one action you’re going to take tomorrow, and then commit to taking it.

And then do this each and every day until you have accomplished that one most important goal.
When I heard this, my first thought was, “Yeah, but what about the other nine goals? What about balance and all that?”

And that’s when he explained that despite our best intentions, most goal setting starts strong, but by March we’ve given up on half of them, and by the summer most – if not all – have been abandoned.

That’s why identifying one goal, the most important and most impactful goal, is a better way to go.
Think about how much your life will change (and the lives of your family members) if you reach your number one, most important goal.

If your goal is to become a top producer in your industry and double or triple your income, think about the impact that will have on your family! Think about buying that new home, or providing for your parents, or allowing your wife or spouse to stay home.

If your goal is to finally write that novel, think about how your life will change when you finally accomplish that this year! Think about the weight off your shoulders now that it is a reality rather than just another dream.

If your goal is to lose weight, get in shape, and get off your medication and live a longer, healthier life for yourself and your family, think about the long term rewards achieving that goal will bring you! (And think of the consequence if you don’t.)

Whether or not you agree with Brian, I’m here to tell you that it’s more impactful for you to hit the most important goal in your life than it is to set ten and not hit any of them…

And, hey, if you reach your number one goal by July, you can get to number two!
If you’ve set goals for years and not been very successful at following through, then why not take the pressure off yourself and try Brian’s method?

How bad would it be if you actually reached your most important goal in 2017?

To your greater success!

Peter Mclees, Principal
email: petercmclees@gmail.com

P. S. We have an exceptional track record helping ports, route sales branches, restaurants, stores, operations, distribution centers, food production facilities, nonprofits, government agencies and other organizations create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, sales skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

So You Have a Strategic Plan… Now What?

A strategic plan only works if implemented. Seems obvious but according to a Fortune magazine, nine out of ten organizations fail to implement their strategic plan. Don’t become a statistic.

Implementation  is the phase that turns a strategic plan into action. Implementing the strategic plan is as important as – or even more important than – the strategy itself. A successful strategic plan, however, starts before any pen hits paper or slide meets screen. It starts in the office in the weeks leading up to the event.

Fortune magazine says…

• 9 out 10 businesses fail to implement their strategic plan
• 60% build a strategy that doesn’t fit the budget.
• 75% don’t link employee incentives to strategy
• 86% of managers spend less than one hour per month discussing strategy with staff
• 95% of employees don’t understand the organization’s strategy.

1. Culture. Preparing your culture is first priority. Create an environment that promotes inclusivity.
Connect employees to the organization’s mission and their role in the strategic planning process. Include employees in the goals and actions of the plan from the beginning. If employees are encouraged to take ownership of their role, they will have buy-in and be more accountable.

If people don’t have a stake and responsibility in the plan, it’ll be business as usual for all but a frustrated few. Develop an incentive program from the beginning to sustain the plan. Outline both
positive consequences for achieving the strategy as well as negative consequences for not.

2.  People. Inventory personnel and make sure the right people are on board and in the right positions. Identify a strategic manager who will monitor  the implementation process and keep the plan on track. Adjust their job description if  necessary so they  are empowered  to  execute  their role effectively. In other words, don’t bog down already busy employees  without  assessing their  duties or compensating accordingly. The strategic plan will most likely require new skill sets. Invest in training and possible new hires to give employees the tools to succeed.

• Everyone knows what
they are accountable for.

• Accountability = ability +
empowered + resource

• Strategic management process has an owner.

3.  Resources. A strategic plan can come with the best of intentions but if sufficient funds, adequate staff and time to implement are not available, the plan will die before it leaves the board room. Assess true costs associated with the implementation and don’t underestimate or be conservative in your estimates. True costs can include a realistic time commitment from staff, a clear identification of expenses associated with a tactic or unexpected cost overruns by a vendor.

4.  Structure. Have a clear management structure with understood lines of authority so that communication flows efficiently. Strategic structure is built on communication starting at the top with strong leadership. The strategic manager will act as a liaison between upper management and staff measuring deliverables and rewarding performance. Regular strategy meetings hold the structure in place and assesses the plan’s effectiveness. Monthly, or quarterly, reviews help employees conceptualize the plan’s implementation keeping morale high for the project.

More importantly, frequent review keeps the strategy dynamic. Unforeseen changes will emerge which will require the plan to be adjusted. Otherwise, plans can become static if shelved for only annual reviews.

5.  Systems. Where would  we  be  without  our systems? Both management and technology systems help track the progress of the plan and make it easier to adapt to changes. As part of the system, build milestones into the plan to help achieve goals within a specific time frame. An online scorecard is a great tool  used to measure performance. It lives in real time and is constantly updated for staff to follow. It keeps staff accountable  because the strategic plan is a living document they can relate to and measure up to.

Strategy execution is the management process

From the start, understand the difference between the strategic and implementation  phases…the strategic plan addresses the what and why of activities. The implementation addresses the who, where, when and how. Both the plan and the implementation  are critical to success. Success is measured in the competitive edge a company can gain if the implementation is done effectively. Visualize the strategic plan as the map that will drive the management process through the implementation  phase

Get your game on!

It’s fun to brainstorm and map out ideas during a strategic planning process creating a business’ blue sky for tomorrow. Implementation on the other hand can seem daunting and overwhelming.  But the implementation process can be made to be as energetic and inspiring as the strategic planning process. It is the muscle that makes the plan work. Preparation on the front end breeds a climate of communication bringing companies from strategy all the way through the implementation process.

• Completed plan cascaded to the individual level (possibly).
• Scheduled monthly/quarterly reviews.
• Update/adapt the plan at the review session

Implementation pitfalls

Here are the most common  reasons strategic management fails:

• Annual strategy: Strategy is discussed only at yearly weekend retreats.
• Lack of communication: The plan and progress against the plan doesn’t get communicated to employees often enough.
• Lack of empowerment: Although accountability may provide strong motivation for improving performance, employees must also have the authority, responsibility, and tools necessary
• to impact relevant measures. Otherwise, they may resist involvement and ownership.
• Lack of ownership: The most common reason a plan fails is lack of ownership. If people don’t have a stake and responsibility in the plan, it’s business as usual for all but a frustrated few.
• No accountability: Accountability and high visibility help drive change, which means that each measure, objective, data source, and initiative must have an owner.
• A meaningless plan: The vision, mission and values statements are viewed as fluff, not supported by actions, or don’t have staff buy-in.
• No progress report: No method is in place to track progress, and the plan only measures what’s easy, not what’s important. No one feels any forward momentum.
• Not considering implementation: Implementation isn’t discussed in the strategic planning process. The planning document is seen as an end in itself.
• Out of the ordinary: The plan is treated as something separate and removed from the management process.
• An overwhelming plan: The goals and actions generated in the strategic planning session are too numerous because the team failed to make tough choices to eliminate non-critical actions. Employees don’t know where to begin.

Avoiding pitfalls is easier when they’re clearly identified. Now that you know what they are, you’re more likely to jump right over them.

To Your Greater Success,

Peter C. Mclees, Principal
Mobile: 323-854-1713
Email: petercmclees@gmail.com

I design and facilitate strategic planning, organizational effectiveness and team building off-site retreats. These retreats enable organizations and teams to:

• Bridge organizational silos
• Create organizational accountability.
• Foster a winning culture.
• Establish a strategic direction for the organization.
• Create a line of sight, so everyone sees his or her role in fulfilling the organization’s vision,  mission and values.
• Improve the execution of plans and priorities.
• Respond better to rapid change.
• Create a competitive advantage for the organization.
• Improve employee and customer engagement
• Save time and money.
• Improve communication and team work among staff members
• Employ new problem solving skills.
• Meet cross-functional challenges.
• Find and leverage the hidden talents of a generationally diverse workforce.
• Renew and recharge team members.
• Create impact learning.
• Help retain and develop the best people.

I have a proven track record helping organizations create a strong culture, leadership bench strength and the teamwork necessary to achieve vital outcomes.

Questions for Sales Leaders to Ask Themselves to Make 2017 Golden

I suggest you set aside some time, look at each of these questions, and answer them with an action plan. Follow that plan, and like many others, you will guarantee your own success. I'd also suggest that you take a few of these questions and ask your sales reps to answer them at the next sales meeting.

Here we go:

What are you going to do to improve your industry and product knowledge in 2017?

How many inactive customers will you revive and turn into regular customers again? What do you need to do to make that happen?

What will you do to ensure you’re protecting your best customers, and adding more value to the relationships? How will you sell even more to them?

How many new customers will you bring on this year?

How do you plan to do that, specifically?

What will you do to improve your physical health in 2017?

What, specifically, are your sales and production goals for 2017? How does that break down into quarterly and monthly goals?

How much more money will you make in 2017? How will that happen? What will you need to do, today, to take the first steps in that direction?

What will you need to do to increase THAT number by an additional 10%?

What are you going to do every day to keep your attitude at a high level?

How much time are you going to spend, daily, to improve your own sales skills? What will you do?

How many referrals did you get in 2016? How did get them? From whom? What will you do to turn them into sales?

In which areas will you improve your personal, family, and spiritual life?

How are you going to maximize the use of your time? Where will you cut out the time-wasters in each day?

What have you been putting off that you will take care of within the next two weeks?

Who can you help to feel special every day?

What challenge, wish or desire–that you’ve never attempted before–will you finally achieve in 2017? How will you do that? Why?

Where are you going to write all of this down so you can review and revise your plans regularly?

What will it LOOK like when you accomplish everything you’ve just been thinking about?

How good will it FEEL?

What will it SOUND like when you achieve these things?

Why COULDN’T you do all of this?

Any answer to that last one is not a reason, but rather a self-imposed limitation, excuse, or lack of desire or effort. The biggest deterrent to success looks us in the mirror every day.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Principal
Mobile: 323-854-1713

P. S. Smart Development Inc. has an exceptional track record helping route sales branches, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, sales skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

smartdevelopmentinc.com

Why a Caring Company Retains Millennials

Today’s workforce is ripe with a younger generation known as “millennials” (those born within 1982–2000). By 2025, millennials will make up 75 percent of the global workforce.

According to a 2016 Gallup survey, 21 percent of millennials say they’ve changed jobs within the past year and 60 percent of millennials said they’d be open to a new job opportunity. One major reason for this shift in employee retainment is due to lack of engagement in the workplace.

One major reason for this shift in employee retainment is due to lack of engagement in the workplace.

Managers need a paradigm shift within their current engagement models in order for this younger generation to commit to a longer–lasting employment term.

Work/Life balance is key for millennials; they are planning near–term exits from their employers in order to put their personal interests and values before their jobs. To overcome this “exit challenge,” there are several key–findings that when integrated into the workplace, millennials become more engaged and loyal.

Areas to strongly consider integrating into your new engagement model:
1.Flexibility with the option of working remotely
2.Creating team–working areas in the office
3.Offer mentorship (millennials want to feel that they are being set up for leadership roles)
4.Transparency (honest, straight–forward, down–to–earth communication)
5.Wellness practices incorporated into the company culture

It is now necessary for employee engagement to take a more holistic approach; first and foremost millennials want to know their company is one that truly cares.

You may be thinking, “what makes a company a caring company?”

When Companies Care

Millennials want proof that the company is not only interested in profit but also in purpose. They are looking for a company that encourages community involvement and supports their participation in non–profit and charitable efforts. This may mean allowing your employees to volunteer during regular office hours and offering training for leadership opportunities within non-profit boards.

Salesforce employees are eligible for seven days of paid Volunteer Time Off per year while Deloitte offers their employees an unlimited amount of paid VTO.

Millennials want proof that the company is not only interested in profit but also in purpose.

Furthermore, on a personal level, the millennial will want to receive honest feedback, have the opportunity for developmental progress, be recognized for their strengths, and have a sense of purpose within the company.

Sodexo, a leading food services and facility management company, offers multiple mentorship programs including a “Peer–to–Peer” initiative which is an informal style of mentorship that employees can opt to take part in during any point of their career. CarMax supports their employees ‘untapped potential’ by offering multiple levels of mentorship including online courses, one–on–one mentorship, and individual development plans.

Importance of Values

The option to exercise … resulted in a 28 percent decrease in employee stress levels.

These seemingly hard–to–please millennials want to work for companies that are aligned with their core values and those that care about their overall wellbeing. With the rise of Eastern practices (i.e. yoga, meditation) permeating the Western culture, millennials want to bring their daily practices of mindfulness and wellness into the office. When job–hunting, millennials are choosing companies that have an ethos that is supportive of their lifestyle outside of the work place.

Aetna’s CEO, Mark Bertolini, had a life–changing experience that lead him to discover the power of meditation and yoga. Bertolini brought what he discovered to his 50,000 employees via a full wellness center and offered employees the option to exercise at any point throughout the work day; this resulted in a 28 percent decrease in employee stress levels and 20 percent of employees said they benefited from better sleep.

While leading companies like Google are encouraging mindfulness practices into their company culture, others are offering in–office yoga, healthy snacks, and even nap rooms.  A 2016 report by the Global Wellness Institute revealed that employees that believe that their company genuinely cares about them has a significant impact on their engagement and loyalty to the company. However, the report also reveals that these wellness programs are only game–changing to engagement when the employee believes that they are working for a “caring” company as opposed to a “non–caring” company.

When job hunting, millennials are choosing companies with an ethos supportive of their lifestyle outside of work.

The backbone of any company are the employees and if the employees are unhappy, it’s likely the company itself will not thrive. Millennials want to know that the company they are working for has a genuine approach to caring about each individual within the company in addition to community outreach initiatives. Taking steps to improve the employer/employee relationship in a millennial-laden workforce will ultimately increase performance and retainment. It’s just a matter of integrating new ways of connection and allowing for authentic flexibility.

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Principal

P. S. Smart Development Inc. has an exceptional track record helping route sales branches, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, sales skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

smartdevelopmentinc.com

Leadership Lessons from "It's a Wonderful Life"

Most of us have seen the classic holiday movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” A lot of us have seen the film many times because it tells such a timeless and compelling story about how any one life can positively impact so many others. While the movie holds many life lessons, we feel it has a few leadership lessons as well.

For those who have not seen it,  “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the story of George Bailey—a man who serves and sacrifices for others. The Bailey Building and Loan lends money to poor people many of them would not own a home were it not for the BBL.  Mr. Potter, the arch villain in the film, is a greedy old man who thrives on exploiting people in Bedford Falls. He continually threatens the Bailey Building and Loan’s survival.

George Bailey is in conflict between his obligations and his dreams—He wants to get out of the small town of Bedford Falls (George remarked, “ I want to shake the dust off my feet of this shabby little town and see the world. I've got big ideas and big plans and I want to build big things.”) And as he said to his father at dinner one night—“I want to do something big and important.” His father replies: “In a small way we are doing something important—man has a fundamental urge to own a roof over his head.”

George’s ambitions are thwarted by old man Potter’s schemes. After his Father died George is on his way out of town. In a character defining moment George agrees to stay dashing his dreams of far-flung adventure—creating insteada more intimate adventure that has a far greater impact on his personal world.

The film shows that real influence comes not from title or rank (as George had no formal title in the town such as Mayor) but from attempting to connect and help the people around us.

The movie also shows us that as we make ourselves available to others with courage and caring our lives develop meaning and a legacy is created, not necessarily along the paths we intended but in small acts that make a difference. George Bailey shows that if we respond with generosity and compassion our lives would have meant something. But he didn't realize this fact until the end of the movie.

Scene: George, faced with financial and personal crisis and feeling that he never made it. He attempts suicide and Clarence his guardian angel (Read: life coach) gives him a privileged look at the impact of his life on the people in Bedford Falls

George Bailey only understands the dramatic difference he made when he sees what Bedford Falls became had he never lived.

Scene: George, in desperation and shock is walking along the snow-covered streets of what is now called Potterville—a town overrun by greed and selfishness. 

Clarence  says “Strange isn't it, each man’s life touches so many other lives and when his isn't around he leaves an awful hole.”

In one of the most famous (and emotional) scenes in movie history: When the townspeople all came to George's house to contribute to the BBL deficit, George finally understands how his life of service has created deep commitment to him from the town’s people (when he was in need) even though he didn't know it.

George has a wealth far beyond material goods or power. Frank Capra reminds us that there is no substitute for relationships of integrity, trust and caring. Relationships that are forged through consistent acts of service.

Whatever our position, if we influence the lives of those around us, we are engaged in the act of leadership. And if we are leaders in any sense, we are also creating a legacy as we live our daily lives. Our leadership legacy is the sum total of the difference we make in people's lives, directly and indirectly, formally and informally.

George Bailey had created an enduring legacy because of his acts of caring, compassion, and courage.

Cheers to a new year and another chance to make a difference.

Peter Mclees

The Surprising (and # 1 reason) Your Communication Fails

Pay attention to what people need, not what you need to say.

There are so many reasons why communication fails, but here's one you might have overlooked: When you aren't considerate of the recipient's needs, your message is likely to be missed.

I was reminded of this as I read Alexander McCall Smith's novel, The Sunday Philosophy Club. The novel is set in Edinburgh, Scotland, and features as its main character a woman named Isabel Dalhousie, who edits a philosophy journal.

Isabel, a philosopher, thinks deeply about many issues. Here are her musings about manners inspired by the actions of a character named Toby.

 Toby "had bad manners; not on the surface, where he thought, quite wrongly, that it counted, but underneath, in this attitude to others. Good manners depended on paying moral attention to others; it required one to treat them with complete moral seriousness, to understand their feelings and their needs. Some people, the selfish, had no inclination to do this, and it always showed. They were impatient with those whom they thought did not count: the old, the inarticulate, the disadvantaged. The person with good manners, however, would always listen to such people and treat them with respect."

In short, manners matter, especially when it comes to communication. This lack of respect (or dearth of matters) can take many forms, including:

• Not getting to the point. You're tempted to share the whole history of your project, but most people want you to cut to the chase (of how your topic affects them).
• Using terms and words that are difficult to understand.
• Assuming people have been paying close attention all along; not providing context.
• Choosing a communication channel because it's convenient for you (email, I'm looking at you), even if it doesn't work for the audience.
• Responding to questions as if the questions are "dumb" or annoying.

I could go on, but you get the idea: If we don't respect the people we're communicating with, why should they bother to pay attention?

All the success,

Peter Mclees, Principal

petercmclees@gmail.com

Mobile: 323-854-1713

http://smartdevelopmentinc.com/

Thanksliving: Practicing an Attitude of Perpetual Gratitude

It's been said that life is a good news, bad news proposition. The good news is that life's challenges help us grow. The bad news is that there is more good news coming!

In his book Discovering the Laws of Life, the famed money manager and philanthropist John Tempelton coined the word “Thanksliving.” He recommended practicing an attitude of perpetual gratitude.

That's not hard when times are good. But in these challenging times an attitude of continual thankfulness can be a tall order. Yet Tempelton offers a radical solution. Don't just give thanks for your blessings. Be grateful for your problems, too.

This seems wildly counterintuitive at first blush. But facing our challenges makes us stronger, smarter, tougher, and more valuable as leaders, employees, parents, mates, ...and human beings.

"Solving problems is what were made for" it's what makes life worth living," remarked Templeton.

He goes on, "Adversity, when overcome strengthens us. So we are giving thanks not for the problem itself but for the strength and knowledge that comes from it. Giving thanks for the growth ahead of time will help you grow through--not just go through--your challenges."

What ever problems we're grappling with--personal, social, health, or financial--the best course is to face them with all the courage, patience, and equanimity you can muster.

And if possible be grateful.

On occasion, of course, our problems are simply bigger than we are. In an address in 1859, Abraham Lincoln recounted the following tale:

It is said that an Eastern Monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and in all situations. They presented him with the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

That's something worth keeping in mind.

Whatever your problems, few of them can withstand the onslaught of optimism, persistence, and a genuine spirit of gratitude.

As the poet Robert Frost reminds us, "The best way out is always through."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peter Mclees
http:www.smartdevelopmentinc.com