Seven Steps to Goal Setting

Step 1 - Make a decision

The first step is a decision. You may have previously decided that you were going to set goals, but then something cropped up, or you got frightened (of success?), or you had a business trip, or you had pressing family matters, or you wanted to read another book on the subject. Stop! Decide to do it (once more with feeling!). This time you will do it, beginning with step 2.

Step 2 - Make a list

Brainstorm all of the things your heart desires. Consider all areas and aspects of your life. Always wanted to attend an Opening Night at Drury Lane? Write it down. Own a Porche? Write it down. Hot Air Ballooning over the Grand Canyon. Write it down. Have a goal weight in your mind? Write it down. You get the idea. Big or small, tangible or intangible, personal or professional, just write them down! Keep this list and know that you can add to it any time you wish. Once you have a good number written down (at least 20 ideas would be a good start – 50 or 100 would be better) - move to step 3.

Step 3 - Make it your passion

Pick from passion. Read over your list. What jumps off the page at you? What fires you up? Highlight or circle one or two of these items. They may be long or short term, it doesn’t really matter too much – just follow your heart or intuition to pick which goals you are going to start with.

Step 4 - Make a map

Pick a process. Thousands of books, tools and tapes exist on goal setting. While there are principles that you will read over and over, there are nuances to each process. Any of them will work if you work with them. It doesn’t matter which one you pick, just pick one. Begin to apply the steps in that process to the 1-2 goals you selected in step 3.

Step 5 - Make do with less than perfect

Let go of perfect. One of the major stumbling blocks for people is that they think they have to follow the process perfectly or do everything perfectly. It won’t happen perfectly and according to your plan. But if you begin to work your plan great things WILL happen. In the end, this exercise is about the destination, not the journey. Let go of perfect and get going.

Step 6 - Make a plan

Build an action plan. Whatever goal setting process you have selected, it will include action planning. Setting a goal is one thing, but then you must have a plan for how you will get there. If one of more of the goals you selected above is a long term goal, build an interim step and build the plan to that interim step or stage. Make sure your plan has clear and actionable steps.

Step 7 - Make the first step

Take the first step. Step one urges you to decide and do. You have another decision to make now. You have some goals and you have a plan – congratulations having goals and steps are great! But they’re not enough. They don’t matter at all if you don’t actually take the real first steps in your plan. Perhaps you have arrived at this step before only to be frustrated. It is time to get past that and achieve your goals. Take your first step. Right now. These steps will absolutely work, but only if you take them. Goal setting is great; goal achieving is even greater. Now is the time. Your desired future awaits.

Potential Principle - It is time to set goals – for yourself and your team. These seven steps will help you get started. Stop knowing and start doing!

Thanks to Kevin Eikenberry http://www.kevineikenberry.com/

Developing Trust

Some ways to develop trust:

• Be yourself and share your experiences
• Show that you are open to ideas from those around you and are prepared to give them a try
• Don't pre-judge people or situations
• Tell people how you feel
• Keep to your word; if you say you will do something, then do it
• Share relevant information when it is needed

Courtesy: Coaching Pocketbook

Great little gizmo

Just finished training staff in PC World on this little gadget. The Nokia N800 is an Internet tablet, which also allows you to send e-mails, instant messaging with built in webcam and is also a portable media player.

Check it out by clicking the title. It is very good!

I covered 40 stores in the North of England and Scotland and trained 144 people in 4 weeks, either 1 on 1, or in groups of up to 4 people, so I am pooped!

The formula for Success!

"Success is not guess work, or luck or the breaks! Success is a matter of choice, of sticking to it and never giving up. No matter what's written, or what's said, "if you do not take advantage and take action NOW," it will not work. !!

What is "It?"

By "it" - I mean, "anything that is a goal or dream" that you wish to achieve someday."

Success is a matter of FACT. That's right! Success has a definite formula and not by whim or fancy.

Do the thing that you know that you ought to do and Success is YOURS. I GUARANTEE IT!

Have great and wonderful experiences."

The bottom line is that YOU are in charge of your destiny. Summon abundance into your life!

Thanks to Ian for sending me this.

Dealing With Difficult Delegates

Occasionally you end up having a confrontation with a delegate. There are a variety of forms of the "Difficult or Challengimg Delegates"

The Heckler: The Know All: The Whinger/Griper: The Whisperers: The Sphynx/Silent One:

When all conventional methods have failed, then why not try "Psychological Judo?"

1. The Heckler - Appoint them as the class "Devil's Advocate". Insist that he/she criticises whenever he/she feels that you are leading the class astray. Encourage negative remarks.
2. The Know-All - Agree with and amplify "know-all" contributions. Ask the "know-all" for expert judgement when none is forthcoming. Invite him/her up front to teach a short module. Refer constantly to their expertise in the subject.
3. The Whinger - Ask for a written list of whinges/gripes to help the class keep a sense of reality. Get him/her to read the list at the end of the day. Add to the list whenever possible!
4. The Whisperers - Tell them that time is short and ask those who don't understand not to interrupt, but to ask their neighbour!
5. The Sphynx/Silent One - Make the point that some people are shy and dare not participate. This doesn't mean that they haven't understood. Encourage shy ones not to participate.

By changing the "push" into "pull" you use the energy of the participant by giving them more of the spotlight than they wanted and they will use this energy to "pull back" to avoid ridicule or overkill.

Thanks to Trainers Pocketbook.

The Reality Of Role-Play

Having conducted hundreds of workshops throughout the length and breadth of Britain, I have usually found that there is always some form of resistance to the dreaded "role-play!"

"It's not real world!" "I wouldn't do it like that in real life!" "I hate role-plays!" These are just a few of the responses I have come across.

Let us just examine what role-play is.

Role-play is a form of a case study which is dramatised so participants can enact a human relations scenario under guidance of the trainer who will then elicit an evaluation of the performance in relation to previously taught principles and techniques.

Some guidelines for a succesful role-playing exercise:

- The scenario should be as realistic as possible

- It should be one that the participants can identify with; characters should be similar to those that exist in the organisation or represent typical customers (if it is a sales based role-play)

- Participants should live their parts

- The role-play should not be a threat for "timid" participants

- Trainer should play the "challenger" role

I prefer to refer to role-play as "real-play" or "simulation" as it is in fact, reality practice.

How would you feel if you had to have some major surgery and the surgeon told you that he / she had never done this before, but had "read the book?"

How confident would you feel in their ability?

I am sure that you would at least have wanted them to have had a practise or two, or may be more, wouldn't you?

Preparing to train

Questions you should ask yourself:

WHY? Why am I doing this training in the first place? What are the participants objectives? What should they be able to think or do differently as a result of the training?

WHAT? What can I communicate in the time available? What is the level of competence and commitment of my audience? What methods will I use? What audio/visual aids do I need?

WHO? Who am I training? Age? Nationality? Level? Language abilities? Prior experience? Expectations? Mind set?

WHEN? Is the timing of the event good for them and for me? Period of the year? Weekday/weekend? Morning? Afternoon? Evening? Business requirements?

WHERE? What will the environment be like? Location? Building? Room? Layout? Seating patterns? Interruptions? Temperature? Noise? Travel requirements for participants? Facilities for special needs?


A lot to think about!