InStep Coaching Blog
 

December 23, 2007

Your Goals For Giving Back

Filed under: Your Success

Depending on how you define success and a balanced life, you may include “community service” as part of your overall plan.

What I notice is - those who do include giving back in their definition of “success” seem to possess a greater sense of balance, inner peace and personal satisfaction, than those who don’t make giving back a goal or priority.

As with all of our business and personal goals, we need a set of criteria to establish what the goal will be. As such, I recommend that we answer the following questions when establishing our community service goals:

1. What cause, mission or issue am I passionate about?
2. What would I like to do about it?
3. How much resource can I commit to it? (time, money, influence, material, etc)
4. What do I want out of it? (satisfaction, joy, change, impact, etc)
5. How will I measure success?

When it comes to giving back, it’s easy to let judgment of the legitimacy of the need, or the people involved, cloud our willingness to help. But as a good friend of mine once told me, “All I need to know is that there IS a need.”

December 10, 2007

Muddling vs. Managing

Filed under: Your Success

Even when things seem fairly “normal” in our business lives, it can still be challenging to stay focused on our goals and objectives. So in times like these when many in the real estate industry are experiencing change, the challenge is even greater.

When things aren’t going as planned, we can often react by muddling rather than managing our way through. And as we’re thinking or acting in this confused or aimless manner, our productivity falters, making matters even worse.

If you’re finding yourself bogged down in a puddle of muddle, here are some tips to get you back on track:

  1. Get honest about your expectations. Confusion often comes from disappointment resulting from unmet expectations.
  2. Revisit your goals. Adjust, clarify and recommit to them.
  3. Rewrite your business plan. Just because it has changed, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need one. You still do.
  4. Maintain a positive attitude. Remember – this too shall pass.
  5. Communicate. If you’re a leader, let your people know what’s going on and where you’re headed. If you’re an  employee, communicate your needs and your willingness to do what it takes to adapt.

We all muddle a bit from time to time – that’s natural. But you don’t have to stay there. Take some time to shift your perspective, and get back to proactively managing your way to achieving your goals and objectives.