Posts Tagged ‘goals and achievements’

You can buy additional memory for your computer to speed it up and make it work better. On the other hand, the amount of time you have in a day is fixed. What that means is we need to invest it wisely. So what are 10 time wasters to be alert to as a leader or manager?

1. Incomplete information which means you cannot take a decision.
2. Employees coming in with problems that are important to them but not urgent.
3. Telephone calls, including mobile phone calls, coming in on a totally random basis.
4. Routine tasks that should be taken care of by someone on your team being delegated upwards.
5. Poorly organised or poorly run meetings.
6. Attempting to do, or offering to do, too much in the time available.
7. Being overly optimistic in your estimates of how long things will take.
8. Procrastinating; either putting things off or leaving things partly completed.
9. Not listening and going off on the wrong track.
10. Not being willing to say ‘no’ when you are already fully utilised.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

Decisions, as we all know, are the catalysts for action. When we make a decision we make a positive and active choice to pursue a particular course of action.

So what are 7 key benefits of taking decisions as a leader?

The first benefit is that the more action you take the greater your chances of success. If we think about it very few things work out perfectly first time around. At the same time we can always tweak and adjust which is always easier than starting with a blank canvas.

Secondly, you build self-confidence. We all have moments of doubt and this is perfectly normal. Yet sometimes even people who are highly successful lack self-confidence. Taking decisions usually leads to actions, which produces a result. When we feel like we have achieved, we become more confident.

Next, you get feedback on what is working and what is not working. Often people see feedback, especially negative feedback, as being bad and so resist asking for it. On the other hand, if we change our perspective and see it as an opportunity, then things seem very different.

Fourthly, decisions get you on course to delivering results. Yes, you might have to change course many times along the way but so does the pilot of an aircraft.

Next is that people are more likely to view you positively if you get a reputation for being someone who gets on and makes things happen, rather than standing on the sidelines.

Benefit six is that you are going to find it much easier to have more followers if you get a reputation as being someone who delivers, breaks through the barriers and pushes the boundaries.

Finally, every time you take a decision that doesn’t quite work out as well as you expected, you get a ton of learning. In some ways setbacks are where the real learning is, even for the most successful.

The truth is that as a leader, the ability to make decisions is not optional but key to your success and results.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to beome highly effective leaders and managers.  Sign up for his free audio e-course Leadership Success

Ask just about any leader or manager what their biggest challenges are and you are almost guaranteed that a lack of time will be on their list. We all at the end of the day have the same allocation of time yet some seem to get vastly different results from others. So how can you boost productivity and results?

In his excellent book, How To Save An Hour Every Day, Michael Heppell suggests that you start with a big enough ‘Why?’. By that he means being clear about why saving time matters to you. The chances are that you are missing out on, or not getting enough of, something that really matters to you. What is it and why does it matter anyway?

A time tracker is another great tool for getting insights into where your time is going. I remember having to account for every 15 minutes of the day when I worked in one of the Big 4 accountancy firms. Sometimes it felt like a chore but it sure helped with focus.

Another great strategy is to organise things so that you can easily put your hands on them when you need them. If you are one of the many professional people who like to hold on to things just in case they are needed, you might want to invest in a couple of sacks and get rid of stuff.

Cut down the delaying and procrastinating and start taking decisions and actions to get things done. The reality is things will never be easier when you put them off, they will just be later.

Distinguish between the ‘must do’ and ‘to do’ list. ‘Must do’ activities are those areas that are critical to achieving your results. What are those for your role? If you don’t know, make it a priority to find out.

Delegate more rather than holding on to stuff out of habit or because you wrongly believe that you are the only one who could do it so well.

Hold meetings only when you really need to. They can easily swallow up a bunch of time. When you hold a meeting, make sure there is a defined outcome and time limit.

The Bottom Line: Mastering time management is an important area in being a successful leader or manager and will require review from time to time. At the same time, it is often small changes that can yield big results.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders. Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course.

If you are a middle manager it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that as you move into senior management you will be doing a very similar role.

In their excellent book The Time Trap, Alec MacKenzie and Pat Nickerson share some interesting data about the stark difference between how senior and middle managers spend their time. While both are involved in some common areas, the analysis is enlightening.

So what exactly did they highlight in different areas?

Planning

When people are in a senior manager role, they are spending somewhere in the region of 30-40% of their time on planning. Middle managers are typically only spending 5-10% of their time on planning. So if you are the type of manager who likes to be doing a lot of things, perhaps senior management is not for you.

Organising

Senior managers it is claimed spend 20-30% of their time on this compared to the 10-20% spent by middle managers. I have to say that this surprised me a little as when you are on the detail of managing it can feel like you are spending a huge amount of time organising.

Measuring, Controlling And Performing Routines

It is in these areas we see the biggest differences. Middle managers can spend up to 85% of their time on this compared to a maximum of about 30% for senior managers.

What all of this means is that if you are looking to climb the career ladder you need to start get experience and exposure to operating with this very different focus. One way of doing this might be to take a short term secondment or perhaps cover the senior role when a post is vacant.

Don’t fall into the trap of believing that being a senior manager is just more of the same with greater responsibility. As the analysis shows there are some vital differences in focus.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders. Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course.

Being in a leadership role is tough. There are many demands on you to consistently deliver results. Once you achieve a specific result, a new and often bigger, challenge comes along.

One thing I know that many leaders struggle to make time for is their own development. As someone who previously worked in big organisations at Director level, I know that it can be so easy to put your own growth to the bottom of the list.

On the other hand, is it really wise to put your development to the bottom of the pile? Perhaps if you can answer “100% yes” to all of the following indicators, it might be that you have nothing more to learn.

Indicator 1: You Achieve All Your Targets All the Time

If that is you, congratulations. You are definitely exceptional and maybe even unique.

Indicator 2: You Are Crystal Clear About The Direction Of Your Organisation, Function or Team

In other words you have no vagueness about what you are trying to achieve personally and for your organisation function or team.

Indicator 3: You Get The Buy-In and Support of Everyone For Every Initiative

Leaders don’t make change and initiate success personally but what they do is facilitate the success of others by getting the buy-in they need. In my experience there is always going to be a critical mass to influence.

Indicator 4: You Are An Expert Listener

Most leaders excel when it comes to verbal and written communication while the exceptional are great listeners too.

Indicator 5: All Of Your Teams Are Working In Perfect Harmony

By this I mean all the different functions are working together, collaboratively and pursuing a common agenda with no silo working or turf protection.

Indicator 6: You Always Work At Optimal Productivity

If this is you, the chances are you are someone who gets things done without the need to put in continuously long hours.

Indicator 7: You Get Rave Reviews from All Stakeholders

Your employees, trade unions, the media, customers, suppliers, lobby groups, shareholders, analysts and others.

So how did you do? To how many of the 7 indicators were you able to say a resounding “yes”? If you are like most, the chances are that it is likely to be a mixed picture.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders. Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course.

Being successful as a leader is much more than just acquiring knowledge, skills and experience. While these all matter, what really makes a difference are the personal attributes.

Here are 10 of my key attributes of successful leaders:

1. An action focus. Talk is cheap but at the end of the day action speaks louder than words.
2. They make choices. They understand that the results they achieve are a direct consequence of the choices they make. Rather than being passive they make active choices.
3. They understand the what and the why. Most leaders understand what they want to achieve. The best leaders know what they want to achieve and why they want to achieve it.
4. They are glass half full people. By that I mean that they have a positive attitude even when the circumstances or situation are challenging.
5. They don’t see goal setting as a chore but an essential component of delivering results.
6. They take imperfect action. In other words they don’t hold off waiting for the perfect information or time as they know it never arrives.
7. They use language that empowers themselves and inspires others as they know ultimately that they need the help and support of others to deliver success.
8. They invest in themselves as they know that this is the way to stay at the top of their game and unlock their real potential.
9. They have clarity about what constitutes success for any goal which allows them to measure progress and results effectively.
10. They understand that sustained success is rarely about luck but as a result of clear, consistent focus.

I wonder what else you would add to the list?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders. Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course.

We all have our moments of doubt and it is completely normal to have them. On the other hand, if you allow those moments of doubt to turn into continual procrastination, the results and success you achieve diminish.

So how can you stop procrastinating and start achieving?

Stop Over-Thinking

Any time we have to take a decision there are going to be areas of uncertainty. Of course you need to be mindful of pitfalls as a leader. At the same time, if you over-think, you worry yourself out decision and action taking.

Ask Yourself Key Questions

At the end of the day there are two simple but highly effective questions you can ask yourself. The first one is what is the worst that can happen? The second question is what is the best that can happen? In my experience asking these questions can get you from stuck to action.

Recognise That You Are In The Risk And Reward Business

Leadership is all about making things happen and to make things happen you have to be ready and willing to take balanced risks. Once you accept that this is just how it is you reduce the pressure on yourself.

Develop The Action Habit

Taking action builds confidence, just in the same way continuous repetitions with weights builds muscle. Start becoming an action taker and building the action habit. Small successes lead to more action and more achievement.

The Bottom Line: Everyone has fears and doubts. The most successful push through despite their fears and doubts.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders . Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course .

Leadership is one of those odd areas. Unlike the detailed technical and professional work that many of my clients undertake, it can appear really simple. Yet the reality is very different.

So I was thinking about my take on leadership and what I have learned and discovered personally through my own experiences and those of my clients. Here is my top 25 and I would love you to share your experiences too.

1. It is not always the smartest people who progress to the more senior roles. The reason being is that your success at a more senior level is as much about you as an individual as it is your knowledge.
2. Knowledge is just one dimension in being a successful leader. Interpersonal, or what are sometimes oddly referred to as ‘softer skills’, really count.
3. If you cannot get along with people it is always going to be a struggle. The idea that you can do it all by yourself is a complete myth.
4. You have to take action. Ideas are great and creativity is marvellous but it is action that translates ideas into results.
5. Good leaders make plenty of mistakes. No-one is perfect and we all make mistakes. The key is to learn from them.
6. Breakthroughs do not happen without balanced risk taking. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that taking risks is a bad thing. On the other hand, balanced risk taking is essential if you are ever going to make any kind of breakthrough.
7. Leadership success is a marathon not a sprint. Forget the idea that you become an overnight success. It takes time, effort and commitment.
8. Anyone can find fault. At the same time not everyone can find solutions or spot the opportunities.
9. Simple things can often yield the biggest impact. It is easy to get obsessed with the next big thing but often it is the small changes that make the difference.
10. Being a leader is a longer term project, not task and finish.
11. A great team is essential, otherwise you are always going to shoot below your potential.
12. Leaders need a support network as being at the top can be a lonely existence.
13. Taking responsibility is essential rather being optional.
14. Look for the good in everyone as no one turns up intending to do a mediocre or poor job.
15. There will always be difficult challenges and it is how you respond that matters.
16. Sacrifices are part and parcel of your success in your career. You need to be willing to make the sacrifices.
17. Time is your ultimate limiting factor so you need to invest it wisely.
18. Praise people for what they contribute as it is a powerful motivator.
19. We never stop learning. There are always going to be new challenges, obstacles and barriers to address.
20. See challenges not as problem but an opportunity to learn and grow.
21. Communication skills are important, especially listening skills. The best leaders in my experience are exceptional listeners.
22. Play to your personal strengths as much as you can rather than trying to master what you are no good or not so good at.
23. Don’t let your personal agenda become more important than results and people.
24. People are your real assets even if they are shown as an expense in the profit and loss account.
25. Persistence through good and not so good times really counts. Anyone can thrive in the good times.

So what else would you add to the list?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professional people become great leaders . Sign up for his free 6 part audio e-course .

If you are a professional person you know that you are pretty good at what you do. More than likely you will have gained some advanced level qualifications. So without doubt you will have the potential to be successful in your career. Yet in reality many professional people in my experience fail to fulfil their potential. Why is this and what can you do differently to realise your potential and the rewards you desire?

Problem 1: You Don’t Know What You Want

Sometimes when I ask people to define what they want or what would be their ideal, they tell me all the things they don’t want. Eventually we get to there but if you want success you need clarity about what you want.

Solution: Write down all the things you want from your career. Don’t just restrict it to the tangibles like salary and benefits. Consider intangibles too like the type of work, type of organisation, type of people, types of challenges to name just a few.

Problem 2: People Are Passive

If you are like many, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that your boss or HR will take charge of your career for. If so, think again. A passive approach leads to progress in some cases but not optimal results.

Solution: Take control and be proactive with your career. Find out about more senior roles and what it takes to be successful. Read the biographies of successful people.

Problem 3: People Don’t Package Themselves Effectively

Maybe this is a British thing but we are not always the best at positively promoting what we have to offer. This is not just in interviews but also in CV’s, resumes and application forms.

Solution: Make time to discover what your best skills and qualities are and then make sure you promote them effectively.

Problem 4: They Give Up Too Quickly

People tell me that there are too many people chasing each opportunity. Without doubt there are more candidates chasing each opportunity at the moment so you are going to get a few rejections. Reality is too many will give up too quickly.

Solution: Ask for feedback on your applications and incorporate it into how you package yourself in the future.

Problem 5: People Don’t Focus On The Long Term

A career is for the long term. Despite this people often take poor short term decisions.

Solution: Take decisions about roles, applications and job moves with the long term goal or goals in mind.

The Bottom Line: Career success does not happen by chance. You need to take control if you want to get results.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professionals realise their true career potential and maximise their earnings. Sign up for his free audio masterclass on climbing the career ladder.

How To Foster Collaboration On Teams

To be successful teams must adopt a www.com (we will win) mindset and not an imm.com (I, me, myself) mindset.

These words were said by Lily Cheng, PACE Learning and Consultancy, Singapore.

Wise words and no doubt these are words that you have heard or you have heard something similar in the past.

Despite all of this conceptual understanding, we still find many examples of people believing that being the ‘lone ranger’ is the only way to go.

Yes, it might feel like the safe option, but the reality is that safe does not always mean the best or most successful option. Playing it safe might well be okay once in a while when you just want to bob along. At the same time, treading water is unlikely to be a great long-term success strategy for any leader.

So how can you start to foster collaboration on a team and start to achieve real success?

Start To Relinquish Control

No leader can expect a team to deliver great performance if they micro manage everything.

Make It Okay To Make Mistakes

People will not take a chance if they don’t feel like they will be supported if it does not work out.

Make Time To Listen To Others’ Contributions

Sometimes the desire of the leader to look smart means they don’t spend enough time listening.

Give Ownership To People

Whether that is of projects or tasks, allow them to find the best way of delivering what is required.

Acknowledge Others’ Expertise

You need to do what you do best and have others doing what they do best. Avoid trying to be jack of all trades and master of none.

Create A Climate Of Trust

This is at the heart of collaboration on teams.

Be The First To Trust

In other words, take the lead in trusting others.

Don’t Hog Information……

……in the false belief that the more power you have the more successful you will be.

Create Shared Goals

These are goals that can only be achieved through collaborating.

Structure Projects To Promote Joint Effort……

……rather than having people working in their silos without regard to the bigger picture.

The Bottom Line: Collaboration will always result in bigger and better results than competition.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements has helped hundred of accountants and health professionals improve team working. Take a positive step and take advantage of his free audio masterclass Team Leadership.