What’s In YOUR Future?

How much of what happens in your business (life) is actually planned?  Is where you are today where you planned to be, or is it a nice surprise?  People spend more time planning a two week vacation then they do the other 50 weeks of the year.  The vacation is great but the rest of the year, well, it’s less than victorious.  It stands to reason that we get the results we plan for and when we don’t plan, well, we get those results as well.  Success will not just happen, we have a part to play.

“Would you tell me, please which way I ought to go from here?” she asked.

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” was the reply.

“I don’t much care where” she said.

“Then, it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

That excerpt comes from Alice in Wonderland when Alice comes to a crossroad and discovers the Cheshire cat perched in the tree.  It’s a poignant reminder that the path we take will determine our destination.  Whether it’s the path that we are taking for ourselves, or the one we want to lead our organization on, it really does matter where we want to go.

We are approaching a new year, a new beginning so take this quick test to see if things are in place in your organization that will result in the success you are striving to achieve (see the end of the article for a test for your personal life):

1. We develop detailed plans for upcoming (product launches, seminars, special events, etc.) a minimum of 12 months out.  Therefore, all of the major events for 2009 are planned and marketing campaigns have already begun.
2. We have goals for the number of (new members, new customers), we want in the year (with monthly goals as well).
3. We have established revenue targets for the year (with monthly goals).
4. Everyone on staff and in leadership (volunteers as well) knows what our goals are for the year.
5. If an idea for a new project is brought to the table, we weigh it against our goals to see if it will divert resources or help us accomplish our goals.  If it will divert resources we table it.

Give yourself one point (1) for every “yes” and zero (0) for every “no.”

4-5 points – Great job!  You have put action to your vision.

3 points – You’ve got the right idea!  Keep heading in that direction.

0-2 points – “Without vision, people perish” – I might add, without a plan, vision perishes.  Your vision is in danger.

Here are eight basic principles you can use to guide your organization and your personal life to the future you want to create.

1. Identify your values.  What values do you hold that are nonnegotiable, irrevocable and uncompromising?   Whether you are thinking of your organization or family, you are governed by your values.  What are they?
2. Prioritize your values.   Let’s take your organization for example.  If your values are customer service, integrity and financial health, which of those values supersede the other two?   It is important to prioritize them and ensure that everyone in the organization (or family) knows what they are.  Consider this situation:  Your cash flow is tight and in order to fulfill your value of providing excellent service, you have to delay making a payment to a vendor (integrity).  If you pay your vendor, you will not have the resources to provide the needed service.  Those values are in conflict with one another.  Which one has priority?  Note:  our priorities don’t change with circumstances.  Priority #1 is always #1.
3. Develop written goals (all of which must be supported by your values and aligned with your vision). A goal that is not written down is merely a thought.  One key item to remember when creating goals is that you must be able to visualize it – in other words, it must be written in positive, not negative terms.  For example:  “I will not ignore my children” is hard to visualize therefore it will be difficult to convert to actions steps and impossible to measure.  That same goal can be restated as “I will spend a minimum of ten hours a week with my children engaging in activities they enjoy.”  Your mind can create an image from that statement and that image becomes a motivator.
4. Goals must be realistic, attainable and measurable.  Losing 20 pounds in three weeks is measurable but is not realistic (and is only attainable in an unhealthy manner).  However, losing 20 pounds in four months meets all three criteria.  Having 20 new clients each month is measurable but if the most that you have acquired in a month is five, it may not be realistic or attainable unless you put with it some very aggressive and specific strategies to make it a reality.
5. Consider the rewards for achieving the goal. These rewards may be tangible (such as getting into a size 10) or intangible (such as creating happy memories for your children).  What are the tangible rewards if you hit your new client/member objectives?  What are the intangible rewards?
6. What are the consequences if you do not achieve the goal?  We are often motivated more by pain than by pleasure.  So while having a happy home may be a desirable reward for spending more time with your children; having angry, disgruntled or dysfunctional children is a more motivating consequence for failing to achieve that goal.  What are the consequences to the organization if you fail to reach your new client/membership goals?  What are the consequences to you personally?
7. What are the obstacles to reaching your goal?  Preparing two meals is a definite obstacle to losing 20 pounds; however once you recognize the obstacle, finding the solution is easy. What might prevent you from reaching your sales target?  What might you have to overcome to reach your new client target?
8. Create specific action steps (to reach each goal and to overcome each obstacle). Action steps convert every goal into an achievable opportunity.  Action steps provide the opportunity to overcome each obstacle and when you overcome your obstacle you are closer to achieving your reward and fulfilling your goal. Just as “faith without works is dead,” goals without action steps are also dead.

Follow these simple eight steps and you will look back in amazement at how you were able to accomplish each objective.  You will also find that your staff and your family have enjoyed the ride.

Personal test – answer these five questions to see if your life is directed toward success:

1. I have identified areas of growth and improvement in each of the seven core areas of life:  spiritual, family, physical, mental, financial and professional.
2. I have prioritized the weaknesses and established strategies to develop and overcome those that are most critical.
3. I have a clearly defined and articulated written goal of where I want to be in one, five and ten years.
4. All of my decisions are predicated on those goals.  If an opportunity arises that will divert resources away from the goal, I do not proceed, no matter how great it appears.
5. I have identified all of the resources (large and small) that are needed to accomplish my goals.

If you scored

4-5 points – Congratulations!

3 points – You’re on your way.  Keep heading in that direction.

0-2 points – You are in danger of being where you are today, five years from now.  Is that what you want?

Implement the eight principles noted above so that you can create your future and not be subject to circumstances.

Karen Hosey

Karen Hosey is the President and CEO of ZOE Consulting located in Atlanta, GA. Learn more about Karen and Zoe Consulting in the partners link.