Be a Better You

"Be at war with your vices; at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man." - Benjamin Franklin

Everyone would like to improve. Why else do we make New Years resolutions? We want to make more money, get promoted, lose weight or find the love of our life.

Instead of making very general resolutions that will fail in the first weeks, choose what you will succeed at. That is right, you are going to succeed.

How do I know this works? Have done it. Who else do you know planned to lose 10 pounds, and lost 16? Successfully lost weight and kept it off for years.

Lets Get Started

Start writing a list of desires.  Where do you want your life to be better? Get paper now.

Why do you want to improve this part of your life? Write down all the reasons.

What values & beliefs of yours support these ideas/resolutions? Write them down.

What values & beliefs hold you back? If you think wealth makes you an evil and mean, you will sabotage your efforts. Write down the values/beliefs why you can’t do it. Are they true? I really doubt it. There will be difficulties, but nothing you can’t work around or overcome. Your talent and hard work will be rewarded.

Now comes the hard part. Which resolution is no. 1?  You need to put them in order.  Which resolution is most important to your values and actions?

Then you pick. Preferably choose only 1 resolution, but no more than 3. May be one major and a minor one? You choose which goals to succeed at.

Now start planning how you will succeed at your first resolution. What steps are necessary for you to consider your experience a success? What can you start today? Focus on what you control.

Repeat if you are working on a second resolution.

Why It Works

Focusing on a few goals, and creating actions you follow get faster results. The more you value a goal, the harder you will work to succeed at your resolution.

Writing it down is another reason for success. Write the goal as if it has already happened. Write the actions as if the past and you did them already. You mind will follow you.

The results may take longer or be less than expected. Sticking with it gets results.

Results

Weight loss, was it easy? No. Did I fail at times? Yes, of course. But I stuck with it.

Was technically not fat, just at the higher end of my healthy weight range. However was not playing volleyball 4 times a week nor weightlifting. Sitting around let me gain weight. Just did not feel good physically. Motivation included Dad getting Adult Onset Diabetes. Taking care of myself could prevent that.

 My plan was rather simple. I gained weight one pound at a time. Losing it was going to be the same. Skipped the diet and went immediately to a maintenance plan. Less carbs, smaller portions, more exercise, and add some healthy foods. Did not give up any foods I loved, just limited how much I ate them.

Another secret, allowed myself one cheat day per week. Still could go for cake at a birthday, donut on Sunday, or restaurant meal. Spread them out by dieting 6 days a week.

Results: 16 pounds lost in 18 months. You have heard the last 10 pounds is the hardest to lose? That was my whole goal. Weight did not fall off easy. But have maintained the gain 5 years by making a permanent change.

Second did go through unemployment and find a new job while losing weight. Succeeding at one goal supported working towards another goal.

Follow Thru

Lots of people think they have to be perfect to accomplish anything. Not true. Every plan will have setbacks and make adjustments. Your plan must allow for changes, celebrations and vacations.

People think focusing on one or few changes, the other goals will not happen. Truth is by focusing you complete goals faster. Success motivates you to start the other goals expecting to succeed.

Pick your most valuable goal, and write down your plan. Then adapt and adjust your plan until you succeed.

Following this plan myself. Will let you know how I make out. Let me know how your plan worked for you.

A very happy New Year to you, your friends and family.

Better way to manage your teams - Ask Better Questions

Doug Krug (http://elsolutions.com/) is challenging my focus on problem solving. He teaches managers to Ask Better Questions.

1.     “What is working now?” “Where are we already getting the result(s) we want?”

2.     “What is causing the results we are getting?”

3.     Re-clarify the desired outcome with questions like, “What is the goal/objective we want to accomplish?”

4.     “What will be the benefit(s) when we achieve the goal or outcome?” Or, “What will be the cost if we don’t achieve our goal?”

5.     “What can we do more of, better or differently to get closer to the goal?”

Instead of starting with "What is the problem?", start positive and build on what already works. It focuses your team to build on strengths and look for more ideas to combine.

Results come much faster. 

How to Collaborate

First thing to do: Let the people know you are there to help, not to point fingers. 

(Focusing on processes is my viewpoint. People fail when not given the proper tools or training)

Ask questions and Listen thoroughly!!! The people working day to day are the best source of information. More viewpoints are better.

Define the purpose of the collaboration. So much time wasted with solutions for the wrong problem. A clearly defined purpose will lead to the right actions.

Come up with ideas, alternatives and combinations of steps. Root causes are usually the result of several factors, not just one. (Good ideas come from anywhere)

Decide on a plan to mitigate contributing factors and plan tests and monitoring to study the changes. Take actions with responsible people and deadlines. (Project management)

Follow up with all the people involved (Make sure they know their input and efforts are valued).

Review results looking for more improvements.

Getting Projects Done

When you want something bigger than a task done, something that will take longer than a couple days, you are getting into a project.

The main secret to success is to properly define the project. It is amazing how hard it is to complete something where you don’t know what it is suppose to look like!

So what does success look like? Define it. Is it a new product release with all marketing materials. Is it a new service as a business profit center? Is it increased profit margins for existing products or services? Are we changing the company culture? Is it a combination of several of these? Focus by defining what success will look like.

Focusing on defining success will motivate you to do break down the step of a project, overcome the problems that will, stay with a project until completion, and enjoy the fruits of success from getting projects done.