10 Essential keys to
personal effectiveness
It's
absolutely critical that we become and remain clear on our intended outcomes. Mark
Twain said, "I can tell anyone how to get what they want if 1 could only
find someone who knew what it was."
When you're
absolutely clear on what it is that you want, and are determined to get it,
there's no stopping you. Lack of clarity and focus is one of the most common
failings.
The
subconscious mind doesn't deal well with generalities. It likes specific
messages. As someone once wrote, "'You can't play an uncertain
instrument." By giving your mind clear instructions and no vagaries,
you'll develop a powerful congruence, which will almost magically seek out and
attract your objectives.
Have
specific outcomes for everything- telephone calls, meetings, tasks, etc.-for
each day and each month.
Tony
Robbins says, "Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people
ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers." One of
the biggest payoffs in retaining a consultant or counselor isn't so much the
advice they give, but rather the questions they ask. They make us think.
Learn to
ask yourself questions that increase your clarity and generate solutions. AsklWWCW
questions. IWWCW stands for In What Ways Can We . . . always be asking
why, when, how, why not, what if, etc.
Each of us has
our own value system. We're not talking morality here. We're speaking of the
beliefs we have that are well established, even if they're not consciously
apparent. When you operate outside this value system, you can't be effective.
And it's paramount that you discover these values and honor them.
In The Ten
Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, Hyrum Smith writes,
"The secret to achieving inner peace lies in understanding our inner core
values-those things in our lives that are most important to us-and then seeing
that they're reflected in the daily events of our lives."
We need to
be working on the things that are the most important. By doing so, we'll see
the greatest payoff. Plan your work, and work your plan.
ABC lists
When you make a list of things to do, assign a value to each one. "A" means something
you're absolutely committed to doing-something that must be done. "B"
is for tasks you want very much to get done and eventually will be done-they're
just not urgent. "C" items are for those things you'd like to do,
have an intention to do, or what i call, "It'd
be nice." By assigning these priorities, you'll find it easier to
determine on which items you should be working. If you're working on С items,
it's probably because you're avoiding the As and Bs.
80/20
rule
80 percent
of your results will usually come from 20 percent of your efforts. Find out
what that is and focus on that 20 percent.
Covey's
Quadrant
Stephen
Covey developed a matrix to enhance our perspective on our tasks and gain a
greater awareness of their priorities.
The
greatest payoff comes from working on projects that are in quadrant II
(important, but not urgent). By focusing on quadrant II activities, we'll
position ourselves to spend less time handling crises.
Do You
Have To?
Some things
you may not really have to do. Ask yourself this question, "Would
something terrible happen if 1 didn't do this?" We often spend time doing
things that we only thought were necessary.
Learn to
Say "No"
It's not
easy at first, but you'll get better at it. If you don't set your priorities,
someone else will do it for you-with their requests.
Ask Lakein's Question
What's the
best use of my time right now? With very little effort, you can usually
determine the answer, but you have to ask the question. And ask it often.
Schedule
Our To-Dos
It's not
enough to list the things you plan to do. You need to schedule them just like
they were an appointment. Otherwise, they often won't get done. Keep in mind, however,
that as you plan, the key is not to prioritize your schedule, but to schedule
your priorities.
Call it
your Success Toolbox. We must keep up to date on the tools technology has to
offer.
·
Computers
·
Software
·
Contact
Manager, Scheduler, Task Manager
·
Personal
Planner
·
Strive
to Have a Paperless Existence
·
Tape
Recorders, CD and MP3 Player.
·
Be
organized
·
Have
a Place for Things
·
Delegate
·
Write
it Down
·
Your
slogan should be KISS- Keep It Short & Simple
·
Let
Go of the Past-Without Guilt
Dedicate
yourself to being your best. We can't be masters of everything, but we can all
be masters of something. Resolve to be an authority in your industry. Here
again, your self-confidence will increase dramatically when you become an
expert. We need general knowledge, but we also need specialized knowledge. What
are you willing to be a master of?
Vince
Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." You can't expect to
do your best if you're sick or tired. Get plenty of rest. Take care of
yourself. Take a good vitamin supplement. Don't do things that are unhealthy.
You know what they are.
Take breaks
in your routine, in your day and in your life. Take charge of your moods and
attitudes. You are not your emotions, you have emotions-and you can master
them.
Find your
most productive time(s) of the day. Everyone has his or her own rhythm. You may
be a night person or perhaps the morning is your most productive time. Don't fight
it, make it work for you! Schedule your most challenging work during your most
alert and productive times.
Make it
Fun
Jerry
Greenfield, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, has a saying, "If
it's not fun, don't do it." It's a great motto. Anything worth doing has
parts of it that aren't always fun, but that doesn't mean the project itself
can't be fun. Look for ways to make your work more festive. You can be serious
without being grim.
Find
Things that Motivate You
Your goals
should turn you on. Be immersed in a vocation that has meaning and value to
you-a purpose bigger than yourself. Whatever it is, find it and use it to your
advantage. By being engrossed in something you feel passionate about, you'll
stay motivated.
Remember
why you're doing this. Concentrate on your goals-big and small alike. Pay
attention to why vou chose to do what you're doing.
Think about your family. Focus on the payoff.
Reward
Yourself
It's
important to mark the achievement of a goal or milestone. Take some time off.
Celebrate. Enroll the family. Let them see the joy of winning. Go out to
dinner. Make it fun. We all like to be acknowledged, and we need to do it for
ourselves as well as others.
Overcome
Procrastination
Procrastination
is so easy. It's like darkness, it's what shows up when there's no light.
When you
just can't seem to do something, commit to at least starting it. Beginning is
half done. Many times I've found myself working on a project long after I had
planned, simply because I promised myself I would just start it. Once I'd
begun, I had some momentum, and I kept going.
The results
produced in an hour of focused, committed,
high-intentioned activity can be hundreds of times more valuable than the same
effort without these ingredients. And there's no obstacle that will not submit
to consistent, focused, hit-it-hard, all-out massive action.
·
Create
Your Own Success Team
·
Build
Reserves
Your Core Values™ eCourse
Discover,
define and begin living in accordance with your true values.
Make it a Great Day
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101 Best Ways to Get Ahead
What if the
most successful people in the world gave you their best advice to help you
achieve your highest potential? What kind of difference would that make in your
life-personally and professionally?
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Michael Angier, speaker, coach and consultant
Michael
works with senior executives who want to build world class companies and with
people who want to do value-driven work.