Dave Opton is one of my favorite bloggers. His posts cover a broad range of issues with the world of work, and they often spark ideas that help me. His recent post called The Lexus Syndrome contained a snippet of wisdom about how to achieve goals.
Dave reports on a list which comes from the American Society of Training & Development. The list shows the probability of completing a goal, given certain conditions. Here are the probabilities:
10% if you hear an idea.
25% if you consciously decide to adopt it.
40% if you decide when you will do it.
50% if you plan how you will do it.
65% if you commit to someone else you will do it.
95% if you have a specific accountability appointment with the person to whom you committed.
Think about the most important goal you are working on today. Have you decided to do it? Have you decided when you will do it? Have you made a plan for accomplishing the goal? Have you committed to someone else that you will do it? Have you set a specific accountability appointment with that person?
Think about the people who work on your team. Are you helping them achieve their goals by insisting on plans, commitment and accountability?
I'm using this tool in my current career transition. I have set an ultimate goal, and intermediate milestones. I've put these in writing, and shared them with my wife. Each week I give her a report on my progress, and commit to certain actions for the next week. My report is written - even though she's just across the room, putting it in writing makes it seem more important. I am convinced that will accelerate my transition and help ensure a stunning outcome.
