In my consulting assignments, I often come up against the question ‘what must I/we do to achieve this goal?’ It may not be expressed as such – more likely a plan, objective, target, market position, and yes even dreams — but the intention is the same.
Whether teams or individuals, I frequently recommend, as a starter, one of the best books I have read on the subject. ‘The Last Lecture’ by Randy Pausch relates the dying author’s philosophy on life, and speaks of the importance of ambition, hard work and perseverance – in other words ones attitude. It is an inspirational read that serves up huge portions of wonderful life-affirming advice that translates to both the personal and work environments.
After reading it my clients say that the following helped them focus on the attitude required to be successful;
- You can realise your dreams! Individuals and teams have dreams or goals, even if some are not yet clearly articulated. Know what these are and set your direction towards their achievement. Living a full and meaningful life depends on it.
- Share your vision, and then delegate: You can’t do everything on your own, especially in a work environment. Make sure your vision or dreams are shared by all, and then delegate tasks. You will be surprised how often the results are better than you envisaged.
- Introduce the elephant in the room: In many situations ‘things left unsaid’ invariably finds a way to impact negatively on the situation. Introduce the elephant, and then move on.
- Know people who will tell you what you need to hear: I once employed a young manager who had no hesitation in openly advising me when I was wrong. I soon realised the value of the input far outweighed any embarrassment! Those who tell you what you want to hear are of little value to you.
- Whining is a useless pastime! On the road to achieving your dream or vision you will get frustrated when things do not go according to plan. Do something about it! Whining about the unfairness of it all requires time and effort. It won’t get you anywhere and you will still be miserable.
You will not regret reading The Last Lecture, and may find other pieces of advice that will motivate you towards realising your goals or dreams. Then, if you wish to discuss how we can assist you or your team develop the right strategies for them, give us a call.
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