Leadership and Management

They need the answer because they want to be able to:

1. Improve the performance of their teams

2. Attract high performers to create winning organisations

3. Identify the leaders of the future

Psychologists have tried to link various indicators to "success"

They tried to link success to:

1. Greater higher education -and they failed

2. Greater intelligence- and they failed

3. Age-and they failed

4. Gender-and they failed

5. Social class-and they failed

They found that the best true indicator of "success" is, what we call "goal focus".

Goal focus means

The ability to
1. State exactly what you want for the next year ahead (at least).
2. Formulate practical plans for the achievement of your stated aims.
3. Persuade others to co operate with you towards its achievement.

With a little analysis, the point becomes clearer:
If you consider that the meaning of the word "success" is:
"The achievement of a desired purpose"
And the meaning of "effectiveness" is:
"Adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result"
Then, can you see that "success" and "effectiveness" is possible only to THOSE WITH CLEAR GOALS

There is a second point to consider:
Because complex goals cannot be achieved in short periods of time, or with a one single action, then the ability to concentrate on a specific goal for extended periods is a most important character trait.
The one with the character-trait of "goal focus" may even be able to outstrip others with higher:

1. Intelligence

2. Education

3. Social status

Goal focus is enough to give you the "winner's edge".
And yet, if you were to go into town today and ask two hundred people, at random, this question:
"Excuse me, I am doing a survey: Would you please show me the piece of paper that holds your written, long-range goals for the next two years, together with meticulous plans for their achievement?"
What response do you think you would you get?
A blank look.

An interesting statistic
Less than 2% of the adult population has clearly defined written goals together with meticulous plans for their achievement.
* You cannot afford to be in the 98%
* Join the 2%

Here s how:

How to be more goal focused

Answer these questions with as much detail as possible:

1. What exactly do you want to achieve, at work, within the next two years?

2. In order to do this one thing within two years, what exactly do you need to achieve within the next twelve months?

3. Name at least four benefits you will gain if you achieve the goal stated above.

4. Name three key people whose cooperation you will need to engage?

5. What material resources will you need to assemble?

6. Write out your best possible plan to achieve the goal stated above.

7. Name the first action to take and the exact date you will take it.

* Print out the answers to the above questions and read them to yourself every day.
* Each two weeks, modify the answers as your current situation develops.

* Have your co workers work on a joint document and develop a team goal

Remember
Success and personal effectiveness is possible only to those who have clear goals together with well written plans.

Chris is the leader of The Corporate Coach Group.

The Corporate Coach Group is a training company whose purpose is:

"The presentation of a system that describes successful action to anyone in a management/leadership role, together with the complementary skills necessary to put the theory into practice."

We draw the "system" from five sources:

1. Philosophy.
2. Psychology.
3. Management theory.
4. Real- life experiences of previous delegates
5. Observations from business we work with.

Their Management Training Program includes: goal setting training, communication skills training and conflict management training, to time management training, Accelerated Learning and leadership training.