Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Motivation

How to set personal goals

Behavior, GTD, Motivation, StrategyEdward Kiledjian

I will use this entry to talk about setting personal goals. Yes.. Yes… I know it is June and that most people set their personal goals in January but how are those coming along?

Do a cleanup

Before building a new house, the contractor will clear the ground to ensure he is starting with a solid footing.  The same concept applies to your personal life. Before even thinking about your goals, make sure you “clean your house” (both physically and mentally) to ensure you start with as clean of a slate as possible. The cleaner the slate, the more likely you are to achieve your future goals.

List your accomplishments

Before you spend any time thinking about your future goals, it is beneficial to do some introspection and create a list of everything (of importance) that you have completed in the last 12 months. This is an extremely powerful technique to ensure you go into your goal setting with positive energy and  fully recharged psychic energy.

Start with the end in mind

In his bestselling book “The 7 habits of highly effective people”, Stephen Covey shares one of the most powerful nuggets of wisdom I have ever heard: "Start with the end in mind." Would you get in your car and just start driving? Of course not. You want to know where you are heading, so you can plan the best route. Same concept applies to goal setting.

Stephen Covey says “all things are created twice”: once in the mind and once in the real world (in that order). Setting goals with the “end in mind” keeps your brain thinking positively about what can be achieved.

This concept is so powerful other business visionaries have also adopted it in their models of efficiency such as David Allen in Getting Things Done (GTD). Napolean Hill stated it as "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, It can achieve." Professional athletes use visualization as one of their training tools.

Know that it works and spend the time to think about what “done means” for each of your goals? What does the successful completion look like? How will it feel? How will you know when it is successfully completed?

Your goals should be “SMART”

Many believe that the concept of SMART goals was first proposed by the grandfather of modern business theory, Mr. Peter Drucker in 1954. The reason this concept has been around for so long is that it works and is based on sound logic.

  • S – stands for specific. As mentioned above, start with the end in mind and make your goal as specific as possible. Saying you will “lose weight” is not specific. Saying you will “lose 30 pounds in the next 6 months by lowering your calorie intake by 1000 calories and running on the treadmill for 60 minutes 4 times a week” is specific.
  • M – stands for measurable. Your goals has to be specific and measurable. Being measurable is important to ensure you know you have “arrived” when you reach this threshold. S and M go hand in hand.
  • A – stands for attainable. Your goals should be “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” as proposed by James Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1996 article entitled Building Your Company's Vision. This means your goals should not be easily reached but logically attainable with enough hard work and commitment. Too many people set unrealistic goals then get disappointed when they miss the mark.
  • R – stands for results-oriented. This further reinforces the first section above. When setting goals, don’t let your mind get overwhelmed by all of the actions you need to complete to reach your goal. There is a time and place for everything and when setting goals, accept that you think about specific actions later. Right now concentrate on the desired end result. I strongly recommend you read my article about using the “Next Actions” methodology from GTD.
  • T stands for time. This means that each of your goals should have a specific deadline. When engaged in coaching, I work with my customer to get as specific as possible (to the day even).

Don’t beat yourself up

Next December, take the time to ask your friends and colleagues about how many of their goals they achieved. You may be surprised at how negative the conversation get’s and how quickly people make up excuses. Remember that beating yourself up is very self destructive and will not help you achieve your goals. Instead acknowledge that you may have missed some goals, spend some time thinking about why and about how you can approach your goals differently next year to have a better chance of meeting your targets.

How many goals should I have?

This is a question I love asking my employees, friends and family. Ask people how many goals they set for the year. Most of the answers you get will be in the low single digits. People believe that making a small number of goals increases the likelyhood of successfully completing them. WRONG!!!!

I believe you should set as many goals as possible and my rule of thumb is 30-50. Remember that not all of your goals should be to “cure cancer” or “solve world hunger”. A goal is anything you would like to be true by this time next year. It can be as complex as finishing up a master’s degree or about as simple as how you would like to perform when playing golf or what kind of outlook on life you want to have.

Ask yourself “What would life look like in a year, if it was better?”

Remember that out of the goals you set at the beginning of the year, you will likely end up working on a handful (10% or less). Read the following section to find out why.

Remember that you will not achieve most of your goals

You set your goals at the beginning of the year based on the best information available at the time. As you work through your various goals, you will acquire additional data or perspective and may decide that something else is more worthwhile.  This new goal may not even have been visible when you did your initial goal setting. You likely saw this new more worthwhile goal because of the effort you put into achieving your original one. Without that original one, you may never have seen this more valuable one and that is why it is still important to set those goals and drive towards them with everything you’ve got.

 

Consumerization is here and you have to deal with it

Datacenter, Management, Motivation, StrategyEdward Kiledjian

What is consumerization

Consumerization is a term used to describe the trend where manufacturers release new innovative technologies in the consumer market before the corporate one.  Interestingly these same technologies then find their way into the corporate world through the employees. 

“Consumer IT will affect every enterprise" said David Mitchell Smith, vice president and Gartner Fellow. "Attempts by enterprises to deny this are doomed to failure, just as previous attempts to deny Wi-Fi, 'smart' mobile phones, the Internet and even the PC itself failed." -  

The above statement seems timely and clearly describes consumerization today. The only gotcha is that Gartner released this in a 2005 press release. So this change has been a long time coming but is finally and definitely here. 

Why

Many years ago, employees did not have reliable high speed internet connectivity at home. More often than not, a work PC was many times more powerful than any device you had at home. 

None of this is true today. Most people have Personal Computers at home and in most cases, they are many times more powerful than their work PC. The lines between traditional work and an employee’s personal life are blurring. Educated knowledge workers want the flexibility to manage their work as best fits their needs. 

This new breed of technical employee wants to bring their own laptop to work. They own a smartphone and tablet, which they believe makes them more productive. They would like to leverage these powerful technologies and bring its productivity to their workplace. Employees are increasingly familiar with cloud computing services and leverage social networking for collaboration.

The business reality

What employees don’t see is the strain these requests place on corporate IT. Talk about personal devices connecting to a corporate network and CIOs start to have nightmares related to  theft, compliance, Intellectual Property protection and risk management. Add to that the cost of supporting dozens of new devices and you have a mess CIOs are being asked to handle without best practices. 

What if one of these devices is stolen (which is very common) and contained company confidential data? Knowing that most of these consumer devices do not have “good” encryption makes the worries that much worse. 

IDC conducted a survey on behalf of Unisys about consumerization. Interestingly, 95% of the respondents acknowledge using technology [at work] that they had personally acquired. Another interesting tidbit was the fact that many employees thought their employers are more permissive [regarding the use of consumer technologies in the office] than the employers actually are. Communication anyone?

Born Digital

Anyone born in the last 15-20 years was “born digital”. By this I mean they grew up in a digital world learning the use of these technologies very early on. Now as adults graduating with the degrees companies need, they demand more. To attract and retain this new breed of qualified and desirable employee, you have to give them an environment they want to work in. A much less restrictive environment where facebook is allowed and a device can go from retail shelf to corporate office very quickly.  It's time to kiss that iphone and hug that iPad.

What is a company to do?

Standing in front of this train won’t do you any good. You will have to find a way to cope and manage this situation. 

  • As an IT executive, your first priority should be security. Instead of protecting the corporate perimeter, you will have to figure out how to protect individual pieces of corporate data. How do you ensure secure deletion of data if the employees leaves the company [with his device]?
  • Who is responsible for backup up the device?
  • How will you manage and support employee devices in your corporate environment. Most companies are ill equipped to support a large range of non corporate (non-standard) devices. It’s time to get creative with your support teams or your outsourcing support provider.
  • The employee needs to understand how much and what type of support you will provide for their device. Are their situations when they should contact the manufacturer instead of corporate support.
  • Unisys expects companies will experience a four-fold increase  in transaction load with the introduction of these consumer devices and applications. What would that do to your cost model?
  • Modernize your IT portfolio to more closely match the computing experience your employees are accustomed to. Is it time to start evaluating a corporate tablet? What about WIFI everywhere so employees can connect their devices to the internet and “get work done”? How do you feel about allowing Facebook and Twitter in?
  • Setup an employee advisory committee to learn what they want, how they want it and also what they don’t want. Use this group to test different scenarios.
  • Pilot…pilot…pilot…. Whatever you come up with should be testing with a pilot group. Start will a small group of power users and then slowly grow the group to less technical users. Iron out all of the kinks.

You need clear and concise policies employees can easily find and understand. Your policies should clearly explain:

  • Which devices your support
  • The process to add new devices to the supported list (and associated lead time)
  • Which consumer applications are authorized for use
  • Which consumer applications are forbidden for use (and it is good practice to explain why)
  • The process to have new apps added to the authorized list.

 And last but not least, GOOD LUCK CHUCK! It will not be easy but the effort will be worthwhile. Use your network of contacts to "get a feel" for what other companies are doing and how you can leverage this information.

5S is an easy Japanese philosophy to improve your work environment

Behavior, Management, Motivation, OrganizationEdward Kiledjian

My current employer is committed to achieving excellence and empowers its employees with simple yet powerful work strategies. One of the tools we use is called the 5S. It comes from the management practice of the Japanese giant Toyota and each of the 5 guiding principles start with the letter S: 

Seiri – Means to sort. It mandates that you get rid of anything that is underused or not used. It allows your employees to work in a clean environment with less distraction.

Seiton – Means to straighten. This is the mandate to streamline. The old adage of “A place for everything and everything in its place” is a great description for this step.  

Seiso – Means to sweep or shine. This is the concept of maintenance.  It is the principle of keeping the work area (and equipment) clean and tidy. Would you rather work in a pig pen or a clean office? The 5S process does provide some guidance and recommendations but feel free to extend it beyond these simple examples: 

  • Ensure adequate lighting in all work areas
  • Repair all work equipment
  • Clean work areas including floors, walls. ceilings, windows
  • Implement processes to minimize dirt (i.e. taking boots off at the entrance)
  • Conduct maintenance for work area and equipment 

Seiketsu – Means to standardize. This allows more people to do the same process thus creating redundancy. It also allows people to undertake more tasks since things are documented and easier to explain.  In this case, standards may apply to all aspects of your business including: 

  • Procedures
  • Processes
  • Work methods
  • and more 

Shitsuke – Means discipline. It is the step that 

  • Ensures people practice the rules
  • Form good habits
  • Look for opportunities to improve 

How to handle a "crappy job"

Behavior, MotivationEdward Kiledjian

One of my first articles was entitled “the YOU brand” and is still one of my favorite articles.

I strongly recommend you read it as it has helped many people change their approach to career management. I will assume you read it and accept the premise that you are selling your services to your company in exchange for salary, benefits and working conditions.

What happens if you are in a “crappy job”? Crappy can mean different things to different people. For some it means no work-life balance. For others it means sub-par pay. For others it may mean lack of career progression. Regardless of what it means to you, what do you do?

You are not responsible for being in a “crappy job”, you are responsible for staying in it.

As a consultant selling your services to your company, you are responsible for your career and all its qualities/deficiencies. Ultimately the decision to stay in the “crappy job” is yours and yours alone. Remember that there are always options and that you should manage your career like a business. If the conditions are no longer favorable, switch positions, departments or companies. If you don’t have the skills or experience to switch right away, make a plan and follow-it. 

Remember that the best investment you can make is in yourself.

 

 

 

The steps to achieving greatness

Motivation, Team buildingEdward Kiledjian

Regardless of your chosen field of expertise, you most likely want to be great at it. When coaching individuals, I am often asked “What takes someone from average to good to great?”.  Putting aside your field-specific characteristics, there are some immutable laws of success that I want to share with you.

The first golden rule comes from Stephen Covey’s book “7 habits of highly effective people” and is “start with the end in mind”. Regardless of how YOU define great, spend some time to think about it. Get specific. Close your eyes and imagine how it feels to be great  and what you are doing when you are great.

The devil is in the details
When was the last time your GPS failed you? Did you ever get lost using it because of the GPS? Most likely the answer is a resounding NO! When you are planning a road trip from Point A to Point B, you plug the information into your trusty GPS and it plots a very specific turn by turn route. After all, we expect nothing less from our GPS. The reason it works every time is because if plots a specific set of actions (turns) that are designed to get you to your destination. The same can be used in your quest for greatness. When setting a goal for greatness, define exactly what that means. Define all of the parameters.

Don’t just say, “I want to lose weight”.  Say “I want to lose 20 lbs in 30 days following the slow carb diet and exercising for at least 30 minutes, 4 times a week.”  Which of these has a greater chance of success?

Time management
Most people manage their time without a specific framework. The last loudest request gets their priority. This is more common than you think. 80% of people I work with do not have a formal time management strategy and this is deadly to your success.

How do you know you are spending your time wisely when you don’t know everything you have on your plate? How do you prioritize the activities that generate the biggest bang for the buck (the 80/20 rule)? Spend the time to learn a time management framework and implement it for every aspect of your life (work and personal). Years ago, I started learning the Getting Things Done methodology thaught by David Allen and have customized it for myself.

The next time you forget to make that important phone call, send that important email or exercise, ask yourself if you really were too busy. Was there something else that should have been skipped?

Life gives each of us plenty of opportunities to rise above the crowd and shine if we are equipped to see it and act upon it.

Honest introspection
Very early in my career, a boss explained to me the importance of periodic, planned and honest introspection. Think about how quickly life passes by. Set a defined schedule to conduct  honest self-assessment.

Every 6 months, I take a weekend and conduct this very valuable activity. I write down my assessment and use it as a baseline for my next self-assessment. Am I where I thought I would be by now? If not, why? Where did I deviate and how can I get back on course? Also knowing where I am today, I can determine where I should be at the next assessment?

Generally my planning horizons are 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 5 years and 10 years.

Enthusiastic realism
The old adage holds true “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Introspection is critical but I want to spend some time here talking about the adjective I used, “honest”. When evaluating yourself or planning your future, be enthusiastically realist.  IT is important to run after the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal – from the book “Building Your Company's Vision”) but always be realistic.

“ A true BHAG is clear and compelling, serves as a unifying focal point of effort, and acts as a clear catalyst for team spirit. It has a clear finish line, so the organization can know when it has achieved the goal; people like to shoot for finish lines.”  —Collins and Porras, 1996

It is a stretch, something achievable but just beyond your current reach. Belief in yourself is critical to success. Ensure all of your planned goals are achievable with the right commitment of time, effort, desire and money.

Remember that the BHAG is a stretch
Some people unconsciously set goals that prove their abilities. Remember that the purpose of your goals should be to exceed your current potential and doing so requires constant improvement. Always set your next goal a little higher than your current skill set (physical, mental, knowledge, etc).

When I attended an Anthony Robbins seminar many years ago, he had the firewalk experience at the end of the first day. They basically layed down red hot coals and you were expected to walk over them, without getting burned. Impossible you say, and so I believed until the end of the first day. Once you push yourself to do it and realize you achieve something you thought was not possible, it triggers a whole new set of thinking. I know that my thoughts can limit my abilities or unlock them. I understand the power of belief and how it can cause self limitation.

Find your own way to break free from your self-imposed limiting beliefs. A friend of mine was afraid of heights so after careful planning and work, we went skydiving. Sure he was terrified the minute he made the decision to jump (which he made, it was not forced) but the unbelievable feeling of freedom that followed was worth it. Face your demons and push yourself to conquer them.

Perseverance
Like a broken record, let me restate that which you have heard a thousand times. Perseverance and patience pay off. We have become a society that demands instant gratification and that is simply not how life works. Most of the time, you will not immediately benefit from your hard work and determination. When you graduated from university, you weren’t immediately given a senior manager job right out of the gate. It took time and hard work. Most likely it took many years. But eventually you were richly rewarded for your hard work.

When you drive a motor vehicle, you are likely calm, confident and in control. But think back to the first time you got in a car, how was the experience? Was your control of the speed smooth? What about turning or merging with fast oncoming traffic. You kept at it until you “got good”.

The law of attraction
I am not going to ask you to believe in some esoteric superpower that grants your every wish. I am asking you however to focus on what you will do rather than what you won’t. Your brain has an amazing ability to make things happen and will make happen what you think about. If you constantly think about “not getting into an accident”, you will likely find yourself in one then tell yourself “you knew it was going to happen”.

When planning to lose weight, I don’t constantly think about “not eating a doughnut” but rather on what I will do next to lose the weight (eat the right food, exercise, etc). I would be lying if I said I don’t think about doughnuts but when the thought comes up, I acknowledge it (don’t blame yourself), I write it down on a list of things to consider eating on my next cheat day and I move on to the positive.

Don’t beat yourself for having a “bad” thought. Acknowledge it, handle it calmly and then tell yourself it’s time to move on to a positive goal-enhancing thought.

Conclusion
Implementing all of the above takes time. Give yourself the permission to embark on YOUR journey of greatness and remember that the longest trip starts with the first step. Plan your goals, learn the skills and achieve what you were meant to achieve.