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Unlocking Success: Embracing High Payoff Activities for Optimal Results

Sep 27, 2023 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Goal Setting, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Productivity, Strategic Planning, Success, Uncategorized

In the fast-paced world we live in, it’s all too easy to become overwhelmed by an endless stream of tasks, responsibilities, and distractions. The key to success lies in identifying and focusing on the most important high payoff activities that truly move the needle. By harnessing our time and energy effectively, we can achieve remarkable results and create a meaningful impact in both our personal and professional lives.

High payoff activities, often referred to as HPAs, are the critical tasks that generate the most significant results and contribute directly to our goals and objectives. These activities differ from the countless trivial and time-consuming tasks that can consume our days if we allow them to. By prioritizing and dedicating our attention to HPAs, we maximize our productivity, effectiveness, and overall success.

One of the first steps in embracing high payoff activities is to clearly define our goals and objectives. This provides us with a roadmap to guide our decision-making process and helps us identify the tasks that will have the most significant impact on achieving those goals. It’s essential to regularly review and reassess our goals to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with our evolving aspirations.

Next, we must learn to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Urgent tasks demand immediate attention, but they may not necessarily contribute to our long-term success. On the other hand, important tasks align with our goals and have a lasting impact. Focusing on the important tasks rather than constantly firefighting urgent matters allows us to invest our time and energy wisely.

Delegation and automation are powerful tools when it comes to optimizing our focus on high payoff activities. By delegating tasks that don’t require our unique skills or expertise, we free up valuable time to concentrate on activities that truly matter. Similarly, automating repetitive or mundane tasks eliminates time-consuming inefficiencies, enabling us to redirect our efforts towards more strategic endeavors.

Another crucial aspect of embracing high payoff activities is minimizing distractions. The digital age has presented us with an unprecedented amount of distractions, from social media notifications to never-ending email inboxes. Implementing strategies like time blocking, setting boundaries, and practicing mindfulness can help us create focused and uninterrupted periods to tackle our HPAs.

In conclusion, mastering the art of focusing on high payoff activities is a game-changer in today’s fast-paced world. By prioritizing tasks that directly contribute to our goals, we can increase our productivity, efficiency, and overall success. Remember, success is not just about working hard; it’s about working smart. Embrace the power of high payoff activities, and watch as you unlock your full potential.

Crafting a Successful Future: Mastering SMART Goal Setting to Achieve Your Dreams

Sep 26, 2023 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Goal Setting, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Productivity, Strategic Planning, Uncategorized

“Begin with the end in mind.” This timeless principle, popularized by Stephen Covey, holds the key to a successful and fulfilling life. Goals, like guiding stars, illuminate our path and empower us to shape our destinies. The act of goal setting is a deliberate step towards carving out our desired future. In this journey, understanding the essence of effective goal setting and utilizing the SMART framework can be transformative.

A goal is more than a vague aspiration; it’s a written, tangible target that delineates the results or outcomes we aim to achieve. 

The acronym SMART succinctly encapsulates the attributes that render goals effective: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. Let’s break down the components that shape these transformative goals.

Specific:

The specificity of a goal provides clarity that propels action. Define who is involved, what needs to be accomplished, identify the location, establish a timeframe, and outline the requirements and constraints. This precision turns vague ambitions into focused targets.

 

Measurable:

Measurement is the yardstick of progress. To make a goal measurable, identify the metrics that signify achievement. Quantify your goal by asking: how much, how many, and how will I know when it’s accomplished? Tangible metrics fuel motivation and track progress.

 

Achievable/ Attainable:

An effective goal stretches your capabilities while being within the realm of achievability. Plan steps that establish a timeframe allowing you to carry out the necessary actions. Aim high, but ensure your goal is grounded in the realities of your resources, time, and skills.

 

Relevant and Realistic:

Does your goal align with your current reality? Evaluate whether the goal serves a relevant purpose within your broader aspirations. Assess if the conditions necessary for success exist and if the goal harmonizes with your life’s overarching objectives.

 

Time Bound and Tangible:

A goal without a timeline often languishes in the realm of intentions. Establishing a deadline infuses a sense of urgency, motivation, and commitment. A tight timeline acts as a catalyst for action, propelling you forward.

 

Remember, a goal is more than a wish; it’s an intention coupled with a strategic plan. By adhering to the SMART framework, you transform aspirations into achievable milestones. As you progress, remember Covey’s timeless adage: “Begin with the end in mind.” Visualize the culmination of your efforts and harness the power of effective goal setting to craft a future of purpose, growth, and accomplishment. Your journey towards success starts with a clear vision and the determination to create it.

Unleash Your Inner Drive: The Power of Knowing Your “Big Why”

Sep 24, 2023 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Goal Setting, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Productivity, Strategic Planning, Success

 

In the pursuit of our dreams and aspirations, setting goals is akin to charting a course for success. But beyond the realm of SMART goal setting, there exists a potent force that propels us forward—a force encapsulated in the simple yet profound question: What is your “BIG WHY”

 

A goal is a written specific target, a result, or well-defined outcome that we want to achieve, and while this definition provides a framework, it is the underlying motivation that truly ignites our passion and determination.

 

When you embark on your journey toward a goal, it’s vital to understand the benefits that await you upon achievement. These rewards serve as beacons, lighting up your path to success. Consider the allure of improved income, the tangible items you’ll possess, the enjoyment of greater respect from peers and colleagues, and the overwhelming sense of accomplishment that you will feel. These are the attractions compel you to push forward.

 

However, the power of your “BIG WHY” doesn’t stop at the allure of success—it also shields you from the perils of inaction. By striving for your goal, you sidestep the losses that could await: the loss of market share, the obsolescence of your company’s services, the potential reduction of current income, and the looming specter of increased stress. These are the pains you’ll avoid by staying resolute.

 

In essence, your “BIG WHY” is the North Star that guides your journey, ensuring you reap the rewards and evade the pitfalls. It’s the driving force that fuels your determination even when challenges loom large.

 

So, as you embark on your path to achievement, always remember to delve deep into your “BIG WHY.” For it is in understanding the profound benefits to be gained and the painful losses to be avoided that you unearth the unwavering motivation required to turn your goals into reality.

 

 

Creating Leaders out of Doers.

Feb 4, 2023 | Business Growth, Business Owners, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Strategic Planning, Success, Uncategorized

Are you up for the Challenge? Creating Leaders out of Doers. 

 

Every day individuals are promoted to supervisory or management positions because of their ability to get the job done. They are the best doer- the best technician, salesperson or worker bee. Great at execution, we promote them to management. If they are lucky, they get a half day workshop on ‘Everything You Need to Know’ about managing and motivating. So many leaders come to the table with their MBA’s – “Management By Accident.”  

 

With very little knowledge or leadership training, they struggle to become successful leaders.  Most of the training is on the job, hopefully learning from success and mistakes. Constantly struggling, ill prepared managers may be doomed to eventually fail or burn out.   

 

Conversely, excellent managers and leaders are made not born. People can be developed to maximize their talents and leverage their strengths. By focusing on strengths, you can apply time, effort and energy to the areas which grow their leadership potential. With intentional training, they can become leaders who inspire others to reach their greatest potential and improve your company’s performance overall.  

 

Ultimately, promoting from within has advantages- leaders understand the company inside out. Knowing that they work for a company that promotes from within is inspiring to the work force. They will work harder and better to distinguish themselves as leaders. And they will be less likely to leave for greener pastures if they know that they could climb the ranks right where they are- which, of course, saves time and money for you. 

 

Let’s look at results for a moment. Do the leaders in your organization get the results that you expected from them based on their potential as doers? Are they struggling to inspire their teams to do great work? Now take a minute to look at how you prepared them for leadership roles? 

    

If you want to improve your results, look carefully at how you are promoting and preparing your management team.  Two ways that you can improve the promoting from within strategy are Mentorship and Assessments.  

 
Mentoring relationships are an important and effective tool for growing leaders. Ideally, a mentor has practical experience as a leader in addition to knowledge of the business. Mentors can teach by example and direct conversations about their experiences as a leader including challenges and successes. They should be a source of meaningful, honest feedback and an inspiration to new or younger employees. 

 

Assessments are valuable tools for evaluating the underlying skills and talents of your leaders or potential leadership candidates. They not only highlight the personality style of your candidate, they will help you to understand their communication style and find the right position with in your company to capitalize on their strengths. 

 

We, at Achievement Unlimited, have the tools to assess your leader’s skills and potential in many areas. Armed with this information, you can tailor the training your team needs to address shortcomings and communication problems. With simple but detailed assessments your team can go from flat to flying in a short time.  In addition, we offer mentoring and accountability groups to grow your team into leaders who win.

The Shopping List

Jan 25, 2023 | Leadership, Leadership Development, Uncategorized

The Shopping List

Last week, I asked you to do a Vocation search and think about what you are talented at and what your options could be. What did you learn about yourself? Were there any careers that you had never considered?

By now, you should be convinced that you really can be and do anything that you set your heart on. (Remember that you should not take this as a license to trample on others’ rights).

Your mission now becomes just like a domestic shopping list. The rules and procedures for turning a simple shopping list into its material equivalent are the same for your life goals.

Let’s get started.

Grab some paper or your favorite notes app and start writing out all the things that are missing in your life, both tangible and intangible. It doesn’t matter what order they come in, don’t stop to think, just keep writing and writing and writing until you’ve exhausted all the possibilities – you will sort them out later.

Some people find this difficult because nobody ever gave them permission to think and dream this expansively. Stay with it.

It’s your turn now to be just a little bit selfish and express – exactly- what it is that you want for your life. If you are prepared to give your gift to the world in large quantities, you are entitled to receive on the same scale.

I know of at least one man who undertook this procedure and sat and wrote for almost four hours, without stopping. At the end of that time, he examined his notes and discovered something he described as a ‘revelation’. It even included the answers to some challenges that had plagued him for years. It had been a healing process too.

When you have the finished notes, still in their rough form, keep them handy and refer to them often. You may finally be introduced to someone you never met before – The real YOU.

Next week, I want to talk to you about how to analyze this information along with the work you did last week. Be prepared to do the work and have your hopes and dreams list ready!

3 Words to Start Your New Year Right

Dec 27, 2022 | Business Growth, Goal Setting, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Productivity, Strategic Planning, Success, Uncategorized

 

3 Words to Start Your New Year Right

Here in the hustle at the end of one year and the beginning of a new, it seems like everyone is talking about resolutions. The Oxford Dictionary defines resolution as “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” Success does depend on deciding to do a thing; but there is more to achievement than deciding and leaving the results to chance.

If you want to achieve remarkable things in 2023, take the next few days to get Clarity around what you want to do, clear the distractions to Focus, and strategize to get those Results.

Paul J. Meyer, founder of Success Motivation Institute, said “If you aren’t making the progress you would like to make and are capable of making, it is simply because your goals aren’t clearly defined.” Over the years this has proven so true in my life and the lives of my clients.

Clarity – Do you have extreme clarity on your goals for 2023? Far too many people have clarity around what they don’t want in business and in their personal life rather than what they really want their future to look like. What matters most in your life and business? Hazy goals produce hazy results. SMART goals produce tangible results – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

Focus – Goals are meant to supply direction. This means you should have just a few significant goals. The more goals you have, the less focus is available. You will only achieve those goals to which you are fully committed.

Meyer also said, “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.” Everything in that statement will exponentially take your power to focus to a new level.

Results – Results are tied to your system. A goal is the end-result you want to achieve personally and professionally. To really achieve an important goal, it is critical to have a system- a strategy.

You can’t keep doing what you’ve always done and expect different results. John Dryden said, “We first make our habits and then our habits make us.”  Your daily routine and rituals, daily huddles with team members and focus on high payoff activities are the keystone of your personal and professional life. Putting these systems in place will earn you the desired results.

Now, find a little time over the next week to sit down with your notetaking app of choice and get some clarity, focus and results to guide you through 2023.