GOALS

Goals. One of the most underused highly effective forms of leadership. A set of clear goals will make or break your team. And yes, I did say a set. Goals are one of those things that if one works great two work greater. Take for example taking drivers ed.

You're sitting in the driver's seat, your driving instructor sitting next to you. Your driving and you see a T intersection approaching. You wait for the instructor to tell you what direction to go. But he decides to take his ever loving time in telling you and you have already stopped. At the very last second he tells you “Take a right.” The problem? You don't know where you're going. You know the overall goal - to get your licence, and you might also know the goal of the drive - to learn how to park. But you don't know the goal of the location. If you had all three clear goals you would be able to stress less and know where you're going a full 30 seconds before your turn. (I hate not knowing where i'm going if you haven't picked that up.)

Application? When you don't have clear goals for those under you they are unable to perform to their full potential. Always stress the goals, make them the focal point of everything you do. Today's goal is to finish school because this week's goal is to finish my science book because this year's goal is to graduate. Extra credit if you have the bravery to ask your subordinates to keep you accountable and challenge you if they don't see how what you're doing lines up with the goals.

If you're on your phone and you get asked if that lines up with your goals. You have to honestly answer. Yes or no? Sure it could be yes. You could be doing school on your phone. But if you do your job well they will know the goals and they will trust what you do lines up with it. If they do have to challenge your choices you can see you're not perfect. Shocker. Join the rest of us. But at least you know what to work on.