New Year Resolving - Getting the Most out of your Bar Time!! - (by Cindy Tonkin)
You're sitting around in a bar and someone asks you about your New Year's resolutions. If you've ever set one before, and not had it stick, then this article is for you. If you've in fact gotten on with some resolutions, and had some others you wish were more successful, then here are the tips which will show you what you did right, and how to continue being as successful.
1. Make sure it's about what you want, not what you don't want
Make sure it's what you want (not what you don't want). Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) suggests that we attract what we think of most. If you're thinking about stopping clients from leaving, then you're concentrating on leaving, not on them staying. Rephrase it to say clients will stay with you, and you're doing well.
Also, negatives only exist in language, not in thought. Just try not to think of an angel - you first have to think of an angel, and then change it. It just doesn't work to think of "not thinking" of something.
State your goals therefore in the positive - I want five new $50,000 clients in 2004.
2. Make sure it's something you can influence
One of Stephen Covey's famous seven habits suggests concentrating on what you can influence, rather than what you can only be concerned about. Make your goals be something you can control. Making a goal around someone else doing something for you (I want clients to find me) may be nice and it's not realistic. Work out instead how to make the goal something like I want to expose my company name to 400 potential clients (who may then call).
The question to ask yourself is: Can I influence this? If not, then rephrase it until you can.
3. Make sure you'd know it when you saw it!
One of my clients decided to work only with her ideal clients. Working through what this looked like, felt like and sounded like, it became clear that she was already doing it. She hadn't recognised it when she saw it!
So, set down some performance indicators. You need two types:
1. The normal business kind - I'll know I'm on track by the invoices sent out, or by days booked in my calendar.
2. And the highly personal performance indicator kind - I'll know I'm succeeding when I get a call out of the blue from someone who wants to know if I provide the kind of consulting that they need. They'll sing my praises, and I'll look like a star before I even walk into their office.
The question to ask yourself is: How does it look, feel and sound when I have my goal? How do I know I'm moving towards it?
4. Be clear on what you'll do, and not do, for it
Next, be clear on what you'll do and what you'll not do, to get this goal. What will you give up to get it? What will you never give up?
People who don't get their goals often say "Something more important came up". Why not set yourself up for success by listing what is more important, and what isn't. now. If you know that attracting clients to your business isn't as important (perhaps in the short term) as servicing existing ones, or being around when your kids are small, or writing that novel, then make sure you say that now. The question is this: Under what circumstances will I give up this goal? What am I prepared to give to get it?
5. Know why you're really doing this
In France they have little signs by level crossings saying - "Be careful, one train can hide another". So it is with goals. Occasionally, people set goals which could be more easily satisfied another way. So, you might want new clients so you won't have to deal with a current client mess or because you could rather do more interesting work. If that's true, maybe you need to set an alternative goal. For example working out what business you truly want to be in, who your ideal clients are, and even plan for getting rid of your current clients profitably.
Ask yourself: Why do I want this goal? What purpose will it serve? What purpose will that serve? Keep going until you come to a response that resonates with you.
6. Be aware of your limitations
Edison found more than 50 ways to not make a light bulb before he found what we call a light bulb. In his mind, his "failure" was feedback. If you've set a goal like this a few times before, how does this set you up now for success this time? Ask: How does my past help me to be successful this time round? What do I know or have now which makes getting this possible?
In the end, it's your time by the bar. You can idly set goals, and they will come true occasionally. Spend five more minutes answering these six questions, and you can be sure that the time you spend thinking about it will pay off.
The Consultants Consultant
Cindy Tonkin works with consultants to improve their client-handling abilities, their client-relationship management and the way they work. From Finance and IT managers to HR managers, internal consulting teams, and people who consult externally as a profession, all of them need to know how to run their businesses or profit centres more effectively and how to:
. get and keep the right clients
. handle difficult clients effectively
. beat scope creep
. have a life as well as a job
. keep going during difficult projects.Go to www.consultantsconsultant.com.au to find out more.
Cindy Tonkin is the Consultants' Consultant and author of "The Australian Consultant's Guide - setting up and running your consultancy business profitably and painlessly".
Cindy trains and consults to consultants and managers to work with their personalities, to be more persuasive, influential and effective. Her latest release "Consulting Mastery - when ability is not enough" answers the perplexing question of why incredibly talented people can limp along in the consulting game and others with far less talent make it big. It examines the "ability myth", and gives some clear strategies for changing the way you think about your consulting talent and your business.
To purchase your copy hot off the press with a 10% discount, go to www.consultantsconsultant.com.au/onlineshop.htm quoting aCE as the source of the introduction and advise aCE same on consult@acetalentnet.com.au
To find out more about this and other value adding products we can introduce you to, contact us on consult@acetalentnet.com.au
