On the second day of our collaboration workshop last week, one of the leaders asked, “Are we really going to spend an hour wrapping up our two-day workshop?”
“At least!” I replied with a smile. “The only reason your organization invested so much in having you here is so things get better when you leave here. That’s why my entire focus of our time together is on what you do when you get back to work.”
We proceeded to conclude our workshop (as I do for all of my workshops, retreats, and seminars) by taking four simple steps:
1. Set a SMART goal you want to achieve when you’re back at work.
2. Clarify the actions learned that will help you reach your goal (i.e., a plan).
3. Identify an accountability partner to help you implement your plan.
4. Follow-up to assess your progress toward achieving your goal.
I invite you to adapt these steps to all of your communications. Imagine how much more effective and efficient we would be if we concluded all our conversations, meetings, and communications with some variation of these four steps. Of course, implementing your version of these steps requires that you place your attention on your intention prior to every communication.
Keep stretching when you’re pulled,
Dave
Dave Jensen helps leaders manage ambiguity, gain buy-in to any change, improve decision-making, and achieve difficult goals in today’s complex, competitive, and conflicting environment. For a FREE Chapter of his forthcoming book, The Executive’s Paradox – How to Stretch When You’re Pulled by Opposing Demands, visit http://davejensenonleadership.com/
