December 26th, 2009

Execution Tip: Think about your “Activity Alignment”

by Dr. Brian Higley

Good Activity Alignment is achieved via constant attention to how well the completion of simple “Yes-No” Activities (small activities that are either “done or not done”) help with the achievement of your SMART Goals (the specific, measurable steps toward fulfilling broader Objectives).  An indication of good Activity Alignment is reduction in two major barriers to Execution Excellence:

1. fewer instances of individuals “feeling busy” with a lot of activities without actually helping to achieve their SMART Goals and
2. fewer instances of wasted time, energy and revenue spent on daily activity that does not lead to goal achievement (Yes-No Activities that are not powerfully aligned with SMART Goal achievement in observable ways).

For example, if one exhibits Activity Alignment in relation to an SMART Goal like: “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” via Yes-No Activities aligned with that SMART Goal (e.g. “Empty the trash in one waste basket in a particular room”), there is often: (a) less time spent thinking about all the barriers to doing so (e.g., How to avoid taking emptying a trash can by focusing on other activities) and (b) less energy spent on activities not aligned with the SMART Goal in question (e.g., making the case that emptying one trash can is impossible or unfair so others support the idea of avoiding the activity). Read the rest of this Article »

December 26th, 2009

Execution Tip: Think about how to “Overcome Barriers” on your path to Execution Excellence.

by Dr. Brian Higley

The ability to overcome a variety of barriers blocking Execution Excellence can be extremely helpful when SMART Goals are not being achieved regularly.  This can be doneby “flipping” barriers into Objectives that can be achieved as part of your Mission.

For example, one barrier to the achievement of the SMART Goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” might be: “I hate taking out the trash.”  This barrier can be “flipped” into the Objective: “Increase enjoyment in relation to goals I do not initially look forward to achieving,” with a SMART Goal like “Ask my favorite person to come with me when I take out the trash,” or “Listen to enjoyable music while taking out the trash.”  The ability to quickly flip barriers into Objectives 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.  For an article outlining some of the most common categories of barriers to Execution Excellence, click here. Read the rest of this Article »

December 26th, 2009

Execution Tip: Think about the impact of “On-Time Completion” on Execution Excellence

by Dr. Brian Higley

The ability to get things done on time is a critical component of Execution Excellence that is often ignored. It begins with a commitment to setting reasonable deadlines (rather than unreasonable ones – or failing to set any), then following through with those carefully set deadlines. Indeed, because the “R” in SMART Goal stands for “Realistic,” no goal is truly SMART without having a reasonable deadline.

For example, the goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” is only truly SMART if it can be accomplished by that time on a regular basis.  If the goal is set knowing that this time is not reasonable on a weekly basis, it will not only affect the current goal’s deadline, but it often also affects commitment to other deadlines.  If one deadline is treated as though it does not matter, it becomes much more acceptable to miss other deadlines.  This can quickly spread the Execution Crisis throughout your life and the lives of those around you.  The ability to commit to (and follow through with) reasonable deadlines is a critical skill associated with Execution Excellence.  On the other hand, inability to do so is another powerful contributor to the Execution Crisis. Read the rest of this Article »

December 26th, 2009

Execution Tip: Think about the impact of “Quality” on Execution Excellence

by Dr. Brian Higley

Another critical component of Execution Excellence is the ability to not only complete SMART Goals on deadline, but to also do this with true Quality on a regular basis. The ability to do so begins with a commitment to Quality, is strengthened by becoming clear about what Quality looks like (with others if you are working on something that includes other stakeholders) and is further fortified by persistence until the job is done extremely well (rather than giving up before true Quality is achieved).

For example, the goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” is more likely to be achieved in Quality ways if the person in charge of this goal is:

1. committed to doing a Quality job,
2. asks any others who are also involved for their ideas on true Quality and
3. continues to develop a way in which to achieve the goal in Quality ways until almost all parties are truly satisfied (please note the “almost all parties” in the last sentence; one cannot please all the people all the time). Read the rest of this Article »

December 26th, 2009

Execution Tip: Think about the impact of “Self-Monitoring” on Execution Excellence.

by Dr. Brian Higley

Another critical component of Execution Excellence is the ability to follow-through with commitments without needing others to “check in” on one’s progress. The ability to Self-Monitor begins with a commitment to being reliable, is strengthened by the ability to set truly SMART Goals and is fortified further by the ability to remind oneself of one’s commitments regularly (rather than depending on others to do so).  Specific goals (the “S” in SMART) help one to be very clear on commitments before they are accepted.

The achievement of goals related to these commitments becomes more realistic (the “R” in SMART) when there are constant reminders of those commitments readily available.   For example, the goal “Take out all trash every Wednesday before 9AM” is more SMART if the person who committed to this goal is clear about what to do and reminds himself to do this on deadline every week.  On the other hand, if the goal is committed to without these critical components, it is less likely to happen on a regular basis.  Furthermore, if one such goal is overlooked, it becomes much more acceptable to overlook other goals related to other commitments. Read the rest of this Article »