Did you set any new year’s resolutions – and have you given up already? Or do you think they’re a waste of time. How about looking at it differently?

Invest in yourself and help future proof your career, business and life whilst you’re at it. Learn something new – book yourself on a training course (and ask work if they’ll pay for it!) Too busy? No time? Then try a public course or seminar where all you have to do is make sure you arrive on time and stay there until it’s finished (let’s face it you manage to do that all the time).

Put some resources into your health and well-being. Whether that’s joining a gym (yuk?) or as simple as buying some extra vitamins, you can make a difference. Work out the easiest thing you can do for you … then do it.

Update your image. How do others see you? Need new clothes or accessories – decide what you need then go get them. Need to be seen differently at work? Then work out what the new you will be and start being that person from today

Work out a goal or two based on yourself. Doing something for ourselves is motivating – and once you’ve learnt the art of achieving for yourself, it’s easier to achieve in all areas of your life.

Devote an extra hour a week to you, keep going, believe in yourself and your investment will pay. Need a little help to invest in yourself? Why not book a 1 hour coaching call contact Dawn for details.

New Year New Start – It’s one month into the new year, so do something different and keep motivation high.

Want a quick tip on how to keep motivation high in your team (or even your life)? Here it is – ready for it – it’s really simple, so bear with me - just do something different.

It can be something very simple or is can be something bigger, need some examples? Here you go then:

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  • Change your standard team meeting agenda
    • Ask someone else to chair the meting – or take the minutes
    • Add a new topic to the agenda
    • Take a topic off this time
    • Change the usual running order
    • Move it outside. Yep – sit on a park bench or go to the local cafe
  • Next time someone asks you a ‘how do I’ question’, instead of telling them the answer – ask them a good strong coaching question. Don’t know what a coaching question is? Then send me an email and I’ll help you
  • Give someone a different job to do for the day
  • Book the whole team into an all day meeting – and then on the day, buy them all a coffee and tell them there is no meeting and they can now spend all day catching up with whatever they like (you’ve just granted them an interruption free day!) think about it
  • Try a different route to work (yawn – heard that before – well give it a try) – include a coffee stop on the way, go earlier or later, catch the bus (hey, they’re not like they used to be!)
  • Book yourself on a training course (away from the office)
  • Invite a speaker/trainer to your next team meeting for a 1-hour training session (you’d be amazed at how well this works – just make sure the trainer is used to packing useful and practical tips into one hour of fun) (contact me for more details on this one)
  • Buy a new outfit… and wear it to work
  • Buy something new and unusual for you to use (pen, bag, notebook in a different design for example) and start using it at work

Why does this work? Well, it helps prevent sleepwalking – you know what I mean, you’ve seen it… when each day is the same and everything is as expected we can cruise through without really trying – and without using our brains very much and without enjoying ourselves.

Try something different. Give it a go – let me know what happens.  Happy New and Motivational Year to you all.

January 21

One of my favourite days of the year. Why? Well, if you think back to one month ago it was the shortest day of the year – not much daylight –but within 4 weeks (from 21 December to 21 January) it’s all changed. In fact this morning I can see blue skies and even some sunshine. Great!

Why does this matter? Well if all that can change in 1 month, then what could you change in 1 month?

If you’re a manager you could improve your performance as a manager in less than 1 month – Here’s How! – and let’s face it, in these perceived tough times wouldn’t you like to be a manager who’s exceeding performance?

Everyone could make a big change in one month – it’s all about picking the right change to make and then focusing your effort on that change. Not sure what to change? Try the free wheel of life exercise and if you’re still struggling, then email me for inspiration – just say you read this post and need some help.

Most people have probably heard of SMART goals - writing our goals so they are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timebound

and then checking that what we do works towards these goals. But I think that’s a bit boring - where’s the excitement? Where’s the motivation to complete a SMART goal?

I like my goals to be SMART and also to be WISE:

• WOW! Make sure that achieving the goal is a WOW!  You really want to do this – for you, not for anyone else.
• IMAGINE What will it be like when this goals is achieved- if you can’t imagine it, then it won’t happen.
• STEP Make sure that your goal is a step forwards. The size of step does not matter – the direction of the step does. 
• EXPECTATIONS Make sure your expectations are realistic. Expect to make mistakes, expect to go backwards sometimes. Expect and demand to move forwards.

For more information on SMART and WISE goals and how to achieve them, sign up for the ACHIEVE e-course - a short 5 step course which will help you towards your goals. Start today!

I said last time, that goal achievement matters to management as effectiveness is about working on the right things – achieving the things we’re meant to be working on and the ‘things’ are the goals.

Goal achievement can be elusive - whether that’s a business goal which requires good teamwork from your employees or a personal goal such as gaining a promotion or losing weight.

Achieving your goals can bring satisfaction and fulfilment which leads to more contentment and enhanced wellbeing. Goals give you purpose and direction and help you get more out of life.

Read the upd8 Special Report which explains the top four reasons why we don’t achieve our goals and you’ll soon be achieving more.

http://www.upd8yourlife.co.uk/srtop4.htm

I’m still surprised when I ask this question and the answer is ‘no’ – or a blank stare … you’d think I’d know by now. It seems obvious to me that if goals are written down, then it helps keep you focused and so you are more likely to achieve the goals … but then again, I also know that when we find something obvious and easy ourselves we then assume that everyone else does too.

Yes I have a list of goals – I have a very WISE list which makes me go WOW and laugh when I think about them. I also have my monthly SMART goals – and more often than not, I hit them. That means I’m progressing towards my goals and, very importantly, I know it because I can track progress. If you don’t know about WISE and SMART, you can sign up for my free 5 day mini email course – here.

But so what? Why does this matter to management? Well effectiveness is about working on the right things – achieving the things we’re meant to be working on and the ‘things’ are the goals. Some organisations have monthly deliverables (or monthly outcomes or quarterly targets, etc) – they’re all goals and if goals are being hit then we’re being effective. And that makes us great managers.

To be a more effective manager, do two things:

1. set yourself some WISE and SMART goals
2. agree SMART monthly goals with your team

What a great day yesterday was - I finally figured out how to get to the next level in my James Bond game – it’s taken ages, so I feel quite clever!

How intelligent are you feeling? Some of you will answer that question in terms of your IQ – others will groan – and maybe some of you will smile smugly and ask ‘which intelligence?’

There are many ways of viewing intelligence these days and many of us know and appreciate that some of us are good at some things and others at others. Gardner  suggested there are as many as eight different intelligences and we all have natural abilities in a few more than others.  Maybe you already know what you’re good at and where your natural talents lie – but what if you don’t or if you’re not sure.

There are a number of tests available for free online – and I encourage you to complete one of them (I’ve used the bgfl one recently). How does it help? Well, it’s helped me in two ways:

• when I first took the test it seemed that one of my strong intelligences was ‘musical’. Surprising… I don’t have much to do with music really … ah, but when I was younger I was one of those children carrying around a musical instrument – and I remember being tested with the rest of my class at school and being selected as one of the ones who would learn a musical instrument. I went on to play in the band, in the orchestra, played around with other instruments, even learned to sing (a bit). Although I’d say my musical ability these days is sadly lacking and much below what it was – taking the test made me rethink. I’ve always wanted to play piano – where do these ideas come from? – and maybe that’s something I should think about following up. In the meantime, I now listen to more music whilst I’m working – and you know what – it helps me concentrate and be more effective.

• I’m not great at drawing pictures (as many of you will know – I‘m not afraid to draw a sketch/diagram to explain something and it usually raises a laugh), so I’m not the best person to pick if you have a visual aid to be created! I accept this - I’m good at other things and try to concentrate on them. My test showed a low visual score – looks like it was right then.

Go try out the tests (there are loads out there) and let me know what happens. Anyone have any startling insights? Anyone surprised? Anyone think it’s just plain wrong?

I’m always happy to know your thoughts - so leave a comment here - or contact me.