Write something down... anything.

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

Louis CK* does a very funny comedy routine where he talks about how he is so very proud of himself for just thinking about doing something and revels in how wonderful he is for just having had the thought - Although he never really seriously came close to doing it. 

In part I thought of this because it is the beginning of a new year but also because I've been proudly telling people that my 2015 goals and objectives are down on paper. When I ask if they have done the same, a serenade of crickets seem to follow shortly thereafter. If you come from a corporate world you know there is an agonizing amount of process and administration around setting annual Goals and Objectives, so I was even more surprised when hard core business people seem to look away as I ask.

To be clear I am not referring to "resolutions"**. I am talking about a plan for the year, associated with a vision with objectives and activities to get you there; there are two parts that I am referring to here... having a plan and actually acting on it

If you were asked by the Cheshire cat where you wanted to go in 2015 would you have an answer? It speaks to the old adage... it doesn't matter what you do if you don't know what you want. Business, particularly bigger business, is very good at the process  of developing plans aligned with strategy, mission and vision (sometimes agonizingly so) - Why shouldn't you?

Remember that this isn't just an academic exercise nor should it ever be. We should have a Vision for our life and Guiding Principles that focus us, and as superfluous as these may seem, they actually act as a lighthouse when life gets stormy and complicated. With these guiding principles, as well as consideration to the current situation, plans, goals and objectives can be developed that drive action . Remember this about planning... it can take two hours and one piece of paper or three months and countless PowerPoint presentations. In the end it is important have a plan.

I suspect that most of us carry a plan in our head that may or may not be tied to a longer term vision for ourselves, but if push comes to shove, we have one - Now back to Louis CK; having a plan in your head is analogous to him revelling in the fantasy of thinking about doing something and how wonderful it is to just be thinking of it. 

Now to the real point in all of this - It does not become real until you write it down. With the act of writing it down (typing or graphically representing it...whatever it takes), you have created something that is now tangible, communicable, measurable, and the first step to executing on it. There is a large amount of urban legend with regards to how your probability of success increases by writing something down; this is well articulated in a book called The Art of Quitting by Peg Streep and Alan Bernstein ***. For me personally, there is a commitment that comes to writing it down.

Oh, one last thing... don't be so particularly concerned with the format and formality - Simply put, the vision and panning really are just, "what you want to be and what are you going to do to get there?" Formality of a good planning format and language can always be evolved to: Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, Smart G&Os, strategies and tactics. You will get there soon enough. Just write something down... anything.

This is what I have written down for 2015... (I am partial to PowerPoint so I was able to simply cut and paste)

The Vision for a fulfilled Life

• Self confidence with myself and the world through mindful action and presence (self)
• Self awareness and knowledge through activity & travel, learning, knowledge and wisdom (self)
  
• Deep emotional connection with a “Life Companion” (relationship/spirit)
• Deep connection  and Legacy for my Daughter (relationship/spirit)
• Satisfying circle of friends with personal and professional connections (relationship/spirit)
  
• A safe, comfortable and tranquil living space (environment)

• Intimate work with a company or small circle of clients to help them grow into their goals (environment)

(Guiding Principles in Bold)

2015 Goals and Objectives

1. Self Confidence: Maintain an uninterrupted physical lifestyle, Study mindfulness, Expand networks and formal association membership  

2. Self Awareness and Knowledge:  Travel at least twice in 2015 internationally, Take at least two academic courses, Continue community activities

3. Deep Emotional Connection: Develop a soulful “Life Companion” relationship, Continue to build an  adult relationship with Sarah

4. Satisfying Circle of Friends:  Continue initiating quarterly get-togethers, Assess toxic friendships, Develop positive new friendships 

5. Legacy: Develop a family Legacy plan

6. A Safe, comfortable, tranquil living space: Relocation and execution plan

7. Intimate work:  Solidify GPE Stratagem as an income generator (> $XXXX K), Develop client funnel, Develop Blogging capability (no less than twice a week), Expand social networking 

I have written out the detailed activities to reach the above goals for the first six months of the year; come July, I will review and adjust the objectives accordingly. Based on the situation and my successes, I then develop activities for the second half of the year. I am big on Goals and Objectives being SMART*** to ensure that there is the greatest chance of success.

Well there you have it...there can be a great science to developing Goals and Objectives that ensure the greatest likelihood for success. For me though, just write them down - Bring them to life now, as you can optimize the formality and wordsmith them as you go.

gpe

* Louis CK is a very funny American comic - Louis CK Live at Beacon Theatre (language warning but very funny)

** I simply hate resolutions... yes I know hate is a strong word.

*** Chapter 7 - Mapping your Goals

**** SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound... this is the criteria that should be used to develop good objectives.

Reflections

The timing of this may suggest that I want to spend some time reflecting on the year that was 2014 or even on a larger scale looking back on one's life... nothing so grand. I wanted to spend some time just reflecting on an evening with three of my oldest friends. Will any of this be particularly profound, have any insight into life, business or satisfaction? Maybe, maybe not... but I did have a wonderful evening.

Let me offer a quick back story for context - Like all of us, I have a group of close friends and I suspect, like all of us, there are logistical cartwheels you must entertain to try and co-ordinate getting together. To solve this, as well as the frustration of trying to herd the OCD kittens, a buddy and I decide when we want to have a drink and then I send out one e-mail (just one), letting everyone know when and where. A few nights ago four of us got together with invitations in hand to meet at The Libertine. For the sake of anonymity, let's name the three that joined me as Huey, Dewey and The Duke.

Reflections:

We are all grown up here, so look after our own calendars. (i) 

Adapting to a change in circumstance leads to untold surprises including a seedy pool hall where they only speak Portuguese. (ii)

 "Life is too short to be buying beer from a bottle." (iii)

If you are going to have a shot of bourbon, do not put ice in it. (iv)

Pay attention to your bill or it will be $33 and not $25. (v)

Imagine the good time you would have missed because it was more convenient at the to go home rather than walk up the street. (vi)

"You would think the Fortune teller would know she was going to be sick and tell us in advance". (vii)

Even though you have a law degree, maybe it's better to be in a band and in love. (viii)

"The Lisgar" is a confusing drink but I am glad I had it. (ix)

"You need to live outside of your comfort zone" (x)

With some friends, what you have in common is a lifetime. (xi)

So there you have it, the reflections from one night out. We all have them. Night after night, year after year, until a lifetime has been forged. Here is to a Happy and Healthy 2015 and I hope your reflections are grand. 

gpe

PS: Huey asked me if I was going to blog about the night and now he has the answer.

Footnotes (as interpreted by the author)

i) In your world you may have admins to manage your calendar, but in my world I'm not your admin, so figure it out yourself. Stay independent.

ii) The Libertine is changing and even though the internet says it is open at 7:00 and/or 8:00, it really opens at 10:00. Change can lead to very cool, unexpected things - Plus The Libertine did eventually open.

iii) Huey said this about the beer he drinks; it is profound... why would you have something generic and stale, when you can easily find fresh and real.

iv)  If you are going to have a shot, have a shot - Don't pretend by diluting it down and sipping it.

v) Things can cost you if you don't pay attention...through no one's fault  but your own.

vi) After dinner, Dewey wanted to go home instead of walk up the street to see if The Libertine was open (as it was out of the way for him if it wasn't open). Remember, sometimes, more often than not, you do it for the journey and the camaraderie.

vii) The Libertine has a Fortune teller on site. She was sick and the bartender said this - I thought it was funny.

viii) An example of "what you can be" versus "what you want to be". I think the bartender is doing the right thing, but that could be me. 

ix) a combination of Johnny Walker Red, Campari, Sweet Vermouth and hot sauce. It was a party of taste confusion in the mouth.

x) Dewey kept saying this - In 2014, he travelled to Argentina to see the Red Hot Chilly Peppers, scuba dived 15 times (including a tunnel dive), rode his motorcycle everywhere (deciding to collect them) and walked up the street to The Libertine. I think he's doing just fine with respect to stepping out of his comfort zone.

xi) It has been an honour to have Huey, Dewy and the Duke as friends - I have cherished our lifetime camaraderie, as I am better for it.

Good People Find a Way...

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

During one of my professional "iterations" there was a complete executive retooling within the organization and with it came a number of very capable business people... you know, the people that have Harvard, Wharton or General Electric somewhere on their resume; the type of people where in a meeting it can sometimes be analogous to "watching a tiger play with a puppy" (as an aside, I love using pithy sayings like this). This was a particularly fulfilling time for me at a professional level - I learned so much.

An adage that started to get bantered about at the time, which to this day echoes mixed emotions  for me, was "Good People Find a Way". But why, I've asked myself? It obviously is a truism... isn't it? Someone who is able to get it done, make it happen or create something never seen before is by definition good - This of course is true. But if they are unable to find a way, are they then bad?  Lets talk it out and let me start here...

Good People Find a Way

I knew a VP of Sales and Marketing named Roger Cooper (may he rest in peace), who once said this about selling, "Intellectually you know you can't win every sale, but emotionally and in your heart you know you will win them all". This has resonated with me for years as his point was you need to believe that you will win it all and align your thinking and activity to that - There was no plan B* for him. This has to be at the core of "Good People" when defining them and ultimately making "Finding a Way" possible. This is how you move into a place where you can think "outside of the box", tear down barriers and accomplish what people said can't be done. Obviously you have to have the ability to "find a way"... be it knowledge, skills, endurance or that nebulous special quality. I should point out that depending on the situation, "finding the way" may include an iterative failing and learning process, environmental situations that need to be managed through with resources that need to be secured - All of which you may be in the midst of being worked though when someone decides to measure you with this adage. The rub for me begins to take shape.  

So lets say "Good People Find a Way" is a valid truism and yes you are good when you solve for the situation...very objective. I will also suggest that being "good" is also applicable when you are emotionally engaged, skilled and working through the situation - Doing the right things... maybe a little subjective but "you know it when you see it"**. Where I struggle, is with the context and leadership of when and how the term "Good People Find a Way" is used, not what adage itself represents.

I want to back up here for a minute to clarify the context of when the adage "Good People Find a Way" is applicable. We are talking about addressing complex situations, unknowns or "unexpected surprises" and solving for them. We are not talking about administrating an established process or practice that should be considered table stakes -  If a person can't find a way to manage this out you have a training issue or a miscast. The adage is out of place here.

So what do I mean when I say I struggle with the context and leadership regarding "Good People Find a Way"? Contextually there are two ways that this adage can be used - To re-enforce the "truism" or as a motivator... and it's as a motivator where I struggle.

Let me get the easy one out of the way - If a leader is using the adage as a truism to set the bar and develop expectations, it is a "good ol' rally cry" to anchor people...it then can be workable. It allows for the articulation of "Good People", the qualities (both hard and soft) and what it takes. This is a very valid way to set the bar for expectations, values and culture but it still needs to be clearly articulated.

I will concede that in theory, as a motivator, "Good People Find a Way" could be used to re-enforce that a person is good, has what it takes, and sets the stage for discussions involving what is needed to work through challenges and "find the way". My experience though, more often than not, is the adage gets introduced when the results are not as expected and it becomes a challenge for the person (or team) to pull up their proverbial socks.

I have seen it disastrously used when a leader uses the adage because he really does not want to accept the situation and that their initial expectations may be flawed; putting blinders on with regards to a bigger, possibly more difficult situation than initially thought. Worse still, uses the adage as a method of blame and deflecting ownership and responsibility. Not only does the leader miss the real situation but demoralizes the people who can solve for it.

"Good People Find a Way" is a truism and should be treated as such; it is how the impossible is made possible - If you want it to happen, get the right people and foster the right environment. As a leadership and motivational tool, as well as a performance indicator, it needs to be considered with great caution...more often than not, when used, it reflects poor leadership, deflection and blinders.

I write some of this with fond memories of an old colleague of mine, who unlike me with my mixed emotions, simply hated the adage. 

gpe

* I will never say you shouldn't have a back up plan but I will also say that if you are not careful your Plan B will become your Plan A. (a future blog topic in the making)

** If it's good enough to be used by the U.S. Supreme Court it's good enough for me. (Obscenity in Jacobellis vs Ohio)