01 December 2014
There are three aspects to performance that everything else hangs on. Without them you can function, but if you want to achieve anything specific you need all three, blogs John Bowen.
The first is that specific thing for you need to have an objective and you need to be able to define it. If you can do that in one sentence you are fine. If it takes two sentences that will also do, but if it takes more then you need to think it through some more.
Once you have that objective defined you need some numbers - first to define the goal because it must be quantifiable in some way, and next to define where you are now. Plotting those two points will allow you to plan getting from where you are to where you want to be and to monitor your progress.
Keep those measures simple because you need to stay focused on what is important. The more complicated your performance indicators become, the more likely it is that you will be distracted from the true path.
Now that you have a destination and a way of knowing how far it is away you can work on your route and method of travel. You have your goal and a way to know whether or not you are moving towards it.
Now comes the third ingredient - desire. You have to want to get to your goal and have sufficient desire to do it to overcome all of the things that will get in your way. If you don't want it badly enough you probably will not get it.
Successful people are often labelled as single-minded, driven, ruthless or even obsessed, and that is true because they have their eyes on the prize and are relentless in their pursuit.
But they succeed not just because of that; they succeed because they know where they want to go, know how they are doing and can stick to the plan without being distracted.
A clear objective, a measured plan to achieve it and a desire to make it happen regardless of whatever gets in the way. If you have those three ingredients you'll not fail.
John Bowen is an FM consultant