Execution Tip: Think about your “Activity Clarity”

by Dr. Brian Higley

December 26th, 2009

Good Activity Clarity can be extremely helpful when SMART Goals are not being achieved regularly due to confusion about how to do so.  Activity Clarity is achieved by breaking down SMART Goals into extremely small tasks that are either “done” or “not done.”  There is no way to say that these small activities are “almost done;” they are either completed or not completed (they are “Yes-No Activities”).

For example, one Yes-No Activity necessary for the achievement of the SMART Goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” might be: “Pick up the trash in one waste basket in a particular room” another Yes-No Activity might be: “Put the trash on the curb.”  These small activities are Yes-No Activities because they are either done or not done.  An answer to the  question: “Is the trash currently on the curb?” can only properly be answered in two ways: (a) “yes, it is” or (b) “no, it is not.”  The ability to break SMART Goals down into Activity Clarity is a critical skill associated with Execution Excellence.  On the other hand, inability to do so is one of the most powerful contributors to the Execution Crisis.

• NOTE TO THOSE USING THE MISSION FULFILLMENT SYSTEM A common indicator of high levels of Activity Clarity results in fewer instances of individuals wondering how, specifically, to achieve SMART Goals (questions like, “How do I achieve this goal?”).  For instance,if one exhibits Activity Clarity in relation to the SMART Goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM,” there is less confusion about Yes-No Activities related to goal achievement (for example,picking up the trash in all rooms before 8:30 AM, then putting it down on the curb before 9 AM).
• Those with strong Activity Clarity on The Mission Fulfillment System tend to have high Personal “Go-Active %” scores (scores of 80 and above) on the Progress/People subtab.  This subtab is located to the right of the Progress/Items subtab on the upperleft-hand side of the main Progress Tab.  Personal Go-Active % scores are located on the far right-hand side of the screen on the Progress/People subtab, and are displayed as bar graphs.  Low Personal Go-Active % scores could indicate a need for more Activity Clarity.
• FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT ON THE MISSION FULFILLMENT SYSTEM: Click here to for more information and click here to sign up.

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Article Filed under: CACE GAMEE Scorecard Tips