Growth and Personal Strategy

‘Growth’ is an important theme in our exciting new 6-week ‘EYES’ (Enhance Your Executive Skills) course which combines individual spontaneous ‘Executive Coaching’ sessions with personal strategy facilitation and group training.  The purpose of this unique course is to ‘kickstart’ participants’ performance so that they can begin 2013 on a high note.  In the first three sessions the themes were Fun, Leadership, And (continuous improvement) and in the fourth session on November 1 2012 we encompass Growth. 

We need to see our business and private lives in context.  Unless we fully appreciate our current status, how can we set goals or move forward to a new specific location?  Participants have insightfully clarified their ‘touchstones’ and values and are currently projecting ‘resources’ to the desired levels for the end of 2013.  This week each will establish vision and set relevant, appropriate and achievable goals and tactics.  Crucial to this process is clarity on personal ‘critical success factors’.

Let’s have a look at these.  In order to successfully achieve their ‘vision’ for the end of 2013, it is critical that they are covering the basic FLAG principles:

• F:  Maximising Energy (and having Fun!)
• L:  Leading and being forward-focussed – self and teams
• A:  Continuously improving - ‘an attitude of positive discontent’
• G:  Growing (knowledge, skills, competencies)

In addition the following are also essential in achieving personal success:

• Spirituality and enriching ourselves emotionally
• Addressing the needs of those whom we serve
• Being agile and yet ‘grounded’ (mentally and physically)
• Networking through positive relationships and ‘connections’
• Communicating effectively – finding my ‘voice’
• Integrating

Let’s consider each of these headings and the questions that participants should be asking themselves.  This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a starting point.  Please add your own additional questions: 

Critical questions

 1.    F:  Maximising energy (and having Fun!)  

• Energy is renewable.  How am I managing my energy?
• In what ways am I building energy through conscious attention to quality sleep and rest, fresh air, foods, liquids, cardiovascular and strength exercises?
• In which ways am I honouring my body?
• How am I tapping into ‘the wisdom of my body’?

2.    L:  Leading and being forward-focussed – self and teams

• How clear are my vision, goals and tactics?
• What am I doing to ensure that my behaviour is ‘forward focused’ on goal-directed behaviour?
• How clearly and timeously am I communicating my vision, goals and tactics to my teams (work and home)?
• How am I recognising and motivating those in my work and home teams?
• What am I doing to empower others so that they can reach potential?
• What am I doing to reward or ‘shine up’ myself?

 3.    A:  Continuously improving - ‘an attitude of positive discontent’ 

• How am I honouring my ‘authentic self’ in promoting my ‘personal brand’?
• How am I continuously improving the way I operate in all domains of my life?
• Pegged against my current status and the status of those impacting on me, how am I ensuring that I continuously use my tactics to move towards my goals and vision?
• What routines have I instituted to regularly check that every aspect of my life is ‘the best it can be’?  (In other words, how am I practising ‘an attitude of positive discontent’?)

 4.    G:  Growing (knowledge, skills, competencies)

• What am I doing to ‘create space’ so that I can grow?
• What am I doing to establish new ‘pathways’, learn new things (neuroplasticity)?
• How am I going to add value to my current qualifications?

 5.    Spirituality and enriching ourselves emotionally

• How connected do I feel to the universe?
• What practices do I engage in?
• How am I maximising the incorporation of my ‘touchstones’ into my daily life?
• How am I caring for my emotional needs?
• What have I done to ensure that ‘reach out’ is a default and that I ‘shine up’ others?
• How is ‘being kind to myself’ incorporated in my self-leadership?

 6.    Addressing the needs of those whom we serve

• Who are the people I serve?  How clearly have I identified them?
• What business, community and private roles do I play?
• Who are those people or entities who have power over me?
• What am I doing to minimise the impact of those who are toxic to me?
• How am I consciously assessing and meeting the needs of those whom I serve (where appropriate)?
• What am I doing to be of greater service to those whom I serve?

 7.    Being agile and yet ‘grounded’ (mentally and physically)

•  How agile am I?  How effectively can I recognise and optimise opportunities? 
• What am I doing to improve my agility?
• What can I do to improve the speed at which I move towards positive opportunities and away from negative influences?
• What grounding practices do I regularly engage in?

 8.    Networking through positive relationships and ‘connections’ 

• How consistently am I genuinely adopting an attitude of ‘what can I do for you’?
• How do I go about building and sustaining positive relationships in all aspects of my life?
• How am I ‘harnessing the power of collective networking’?
• What is my strategy for taking my networking to a higher level?
• What am I doing to build and sustain positive relationships?
• What does the term ‘federated’ mean to me and how am I incorporating?

9.    Communicating effectively – finding my ‘voice’ 

• What am I doing to constantly ensure that I communicate effectively and at the right time?
• How am I making sure that my messages have been understood in the way in which I intended them?
• How constructively do I deal with feedback (given or received)?
• How am I using my voice?

10. Integrating

• How am I integrating all aspects of my life?
• What should I be doing to find greater balance over all areas of my life?

Reflect carefully on these questions.  What other questions should you be asking?

Record your answers and use constructively in setting your plans for the future.  Build in tactics that will support your intentions and help you to be the success that you deserve to be.

If you’d like further information on the training we offer, personal strategy, leadership development or executive coaching, please contact me - brenda@146.66.90.172, Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311.