Happy New Year! The toughest part of setting New Year’s resolutions is making them happen. Here are six guidelines to not only keep your resolutions, but to accelerate progress on them so that you’re off to a running start in 2008.
1. Think in terms of “big picture” accomplishments. I’ve noticed that many resolutions bog down in activities rather than in meaningful action. When you phrase your resolutions in terms of big picture objectives that you must accomplish, it provides context for all of your actions so that you’re focused on what is truly important. (Note: from here on I’ll be referring to resolutions as “objectives.”)
2. Understand the value of your objectives. Beyond the logical reasons, ask yourself what will happen to you personally if you do accomplish your objectives and what will happen to you personally if you don’t accomplish them. The more passion you have in either direction, the more you’ll do what it takes to overcome the inevitable obstacles and setbacks that will occur along the way.
3. Identify key stakeholders. Who does or does not have a stake in the outcome of any particular objective will shift according to what you’re trying to accomplish, and their level of buy-in can make a major difference in achieving the results you want (I’ve developed a checklist with some of the possible individuals and groups to consider).
4. Set complementary goals to support your objectives. Even the best objectives bog down if the goals supporting them conflict with each other for time, energy, or resources (funding, people, equipment, etc.). You will dramatically accelerate progress when goals build on each other. Establishing checkpoints and milestones for success enables everyone involved to track progress.
5. Gain others’ buy-in and Vice President Global Servicesperation. Remember that your stakeholders determine for themselves whether your communication is understandable enough, frequent enough, and consistent enough to be credible. The more that you understand others’ needs and concerns, the more you’ll be able to communicate in a way that fosters their Vice President Global Servicesperation.
6. Stay flexible. Unforeseen events can wreak havoc on accomplishing objectives. To accelerate progress under these circumstances requires extra creativity. For example, you may need to shift priorities, eliminate some goals and establish others, find new resources, negotiate buy-in of new stakeholders, and set new criteria for measuring success.
Bottom Line:
When you are clear about what you must accomplish, and have a compelling emotional investment in it, you gain the persistence to do what it takes to transform your resolutions into reality. Enrolling others in your objectives and gaining their Vice President Global Servicesperation will dramatically accelerate your ability to accomplish your objectives.
For more information and examples of these six guidelines, order
Preventing Strategic Gridlock.
