In a world of social media and large, open space work areas, compliments in passing aren't uncommon. But, are they true? Similarly, supervisors are taught to encourage the good things instead of just criticizing the areas needing improvement.
How can you tell if a word of encouragement or a compliment is true? How do you know that it is not just some obligatory gesture of kindness—and perhaps it is just the precursor than attempt to lure you into something!
Two things offer evidence that compliments and words of encouragement are true.
First off, does it come unexpected? Could the person who said it (typed it) have just as easily said nothing? The fact that they took the effort to stop you and say something (or go to the comments section and type something) is a good indicator that whatever they typed was something they believed.
Secondly, is it specific? A passing "nice job!" comment could just be an effort toward them looking thoughtful and not a genuine attempt to encourage you. Sure, it's great to be told you did something well, but the lack of specificity leaves such a compliment open to doubt. However, if they say, "Wow! How you handled the customer's complaint about the packaging was really great!" there's a good chance that they really believe that.
When someone pops up out of nowhere and offers you a compliment that is specific and relevant, there's a really good chance that it is true.
AND, if you want someone to feel encouraged… Let them know what you think (specifically) at a time that it is not expected.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
My Zipper's Stuck! - s2e13
The road to success is often riddled with obstacles. Getting around them is not always something you can do alone.
When you face a challenge that is too much for you, alone, there are some things you can do to greatly increase the likelihood of successfully overcoming them.
First, you have to recognize you need help. Knowing when you are in over your head is vital to starting the process of finding solutions to your problems. There's nothing wrong with asking for help!
When you do ask for help, be prepared to, as much as possible, explain exactly what's wrong. Metaphorically, the more you can tell the mechanic, the easier it will be to get the problem fixed!
Also, when possible, make known what you think the other person can do to help you. Be as specific as possible so the other person can get right to the thing you want and not waste time doing things you don't need them to do.
Being able to get help when you need it, explain what's wrong, and express clearly what you need done are three very important steps on the road to success.
When you face a challenge that is too much for you, alone, there are some things you can do to greatly increase the likelihood of successfully overcoming them.
First, you have to recognize you need help. Knowing when you are in over your head is vital to starting the process of finding solutions to your problems. There's nothing wrong with asking for help!
When you do ask for help, be prepared to, as much as possible, explain exactly what's wrong. Metaphorically, the more you can tell the mechanic, the easier it will be to get the problem fixed!
Also, when possible, make known what you think the other person can do to help you. Be as specific as possible so the other person can get right to the thing you want and not waste time doing things you don't need them to do.
Being able to get help when you need it, explain what's wrong, and express clearly what you need done are three very important steps on the road to success.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
SMAC Your Goals! - s3e9
In the big picture of "whatever it is you are trying to do," any chance at being successful requires you to have effective goals. A good goal can help guide your planning and inform your resource utilization so that your quest for success is more easily completed.
A bad goal is one that doesn't clearly define what you are to do and when you are to do it. A bad goal requires you to expend resources you may not have or may have allocated to other goals. A bad goal is unrealistic or incompatible with the "whatever it is you are trying to do" in the first place.
So what are good goals?
Simple. Not in terms of being easy to achieve but in terms of being independently attainable. A simple goal is not bound to other goals.
Measurable. "Better" is not actually measurable. "Increase by five" is. If you can't measure it, you will never know if it has been achieved.
Attainable. You can say you set a goal, but if it is not attainable, it's really just a wish! Goals must fit within the context of possible. NOTE: there is a difference between something that's hard and something that's impossible. Goals can be hard… But there must be some plausible path from where you are to where the goal ask you to be.
Compatible. Every goal that you decide to pursue must fit with and not compete with all the other goals. You can't have two goals that require thirteen hours of time each day. Two such goals are not compatible.
If you want your goals to be effective… SMAC them!
A bad goal is one that doesn't clearly define what you are to do and when you are to do it. A bad goal requires you to expend resources you may not have or may have allocated to other goals. A bad goal is unrealistic or incompatible with the "whatever it is you are trying to do" in the first place.
So what are good goals?
Simple. Not in terms of being easy to achieve but in terms of being independently attainable. A simple goal is not bound to other goals.
Measurable. "Better" is not actually measurable. "Increase by five" is. If you can't measure it, you will never know if it has been achieved.
Attainable. You can say you set a goal, but if it is not attainable, it's really just a wish! Goals must fit within the context of possible. NOTE: there is a difference between something that's hard and something that's impossible. Goals can be hard… But there must be some plausible path from where you are to where the goal ask you to be.
Compatible. Every goal that you decide to pursue must fit with and not compete with all the other goals. You can't have two goals that require thirteen hours of time each day. Two such goals are not compatible.
If you want your goals to be effective… SMAC them!
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
What's Your Problem? - s3e6
The idea of mission and goals can be viewed from many perspectives. One such perspective is that the "thing you are trying to do" is solve a problem. The mission becomes solving the problem and the goals and everything else lines up to do just that.
However, from this perspective, the subsequent essential actions can only be effective if the real problem is identified.
It is easy to set out to fix a problem only to eventually realize you're working on the wrong thing. Doing this will result in frustration and require abandoning the plan because the plan was meant to solve one thing when something else was the real problem.
A simple example of this might be related to not being ready for a job or school task. Perhaps a presentation is expected on some certain day at some time. Perhaps reaching some particular phase of construction is expected to be done by a certain date.
Failing to reach a deadline could be caused by many factors. If the real cause is bad habits and bad time management, the goals and plans to fix that would be one thing. But suppose the problem is that the tools needed to finish the project were inadequate? Suppose the copier was chronically jammed or frequently produced bad copies… Suppose a particular nail gun needed for some aspect of the construction was underpowered or unreliable. The failure to meet the next deadline could be avoided by fixing the tools (or getting replacements).
If the problem is the tools, changing habits might solve the problem by creating more hours to do the work, but that would be a bandaid solution. The real problem—inefficient tools—would still exist.
Conversely, if the problem is bad habits, then investing in better tools may or may present a solution. No matter how good the tool is, if the person using it is watching Netflix on the phone, the work won't get done.
It is vital to identify and fully clarify what the real problem is before trying to create a plan to solve something. A great deal of time, energy and resources can be wasted by working on the wrong essential actions.
However, from this perspective, the subsequent essential actions can only be effective if the real problem is identified.
It is easy to set out to fix a problem only to eventually realize you're working on the wrong thing. Doing this will result in frustration and require abandoning the plan because the plan was meant to solve one thing when something else was the real problem.
A simple example of this might be related to not being ready for a job or school task. Perhaps a presentation is expected on some certain day at some time. Perhaps reaching some particular phase of construction is expected to be done by a certain date.
Failing to reach a deadline could be caused by many factors. If the real cause is bad habits and bad time management, the goals and plans to fix that would be one thing. But suppose the problem is that the tools needed to finish the project were inadequate? Suppose the copier was chronically jammed or frequently produced bad copies… Suppose a particular nail gun needed for some aspect of the construction was underpowered or unreliable. The failure to meet the next deadline could be avoided by fixing the tools (or getting replacements).
If the problem is the tools, changing habits might solve the problem by creating more hours to do the work, but that would be a bandaid solution. The real problem—inefficient tools—would still exist.
Conversely, if the problem is bad habits, then investing in better tools may or may present a solution. No matter how good the tool is, if the person using it is watching Netflix on the phone, the work won't get done.
It is vital to identify and fully clarify what the real problem is before trying to create a plan to solve something. A great deal of time, energy and resources can be wasted by working on the wrong essential actions.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Another Different Look At Missions and Goals - s3e4
There is more than one way to describe the mission-goal-action process. One way is to think of goals as being subparts of larger, broader goals. In that paradigm, goals line up from broadest to most specific with each smaller goal nesting under bigger goals.
If you think of a specific goal such as winning the state championship in marching band, goals would fall under that one getting more and more specific down to a very basic essential task, such as learning the notes in a musical scale. And further, "winning the state championship" might be a subgoal of something even larger, such as creating an exciting and effective music program, which itself might be a subgoal of having a high-quality school system.
Each goal in the continuum might be met by completing certain essential tasks. Each essential task might look like a goal with smaller parts associate with completing it. In this way, goals can nest under each other and organize downward from broad and general to narrow and specific.
It all begins with that broad, large scale purpose. What is it, in the most general terms, that you are trying to accomplish? Knowing this will give direction to everything you do, to every goal you set, and guide the achievement of those goals all along the way.
If you think of a specific goal such as winning the state championship in marching band, goals would fall under that one getting more and more specific down to a very basic essential task, such as learning the notes in a musical scale. And further, "winning the state championship" might be a subgoal of something even larger, such as creating an exciting and effective music program, which itself might be a subgoal of having a high-quality school system.
Each goal in the continuum might be met by completing certain essential tasks. Each essential task might look like a goal with smaller parts associate with completing it. In this way, goals can nest under each other and organize downward from broad and general to narrow and specific.
It all begins with that broad, large scale purpose. What is it, in the most general terms, that you are trying to accomplish? Knowing this will give direction to everything you do, to every goal you set, and guide the achievement of those goals all along the way.
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