doug smith training

Does your environment remind you which goals you are focused on? Does your work station organize your work in ways that allow you to do what matters most, first? I'm working on that. My own work environment wavers somewhere between carefully structured and creative clutter. I need the creativity -- it's the clutter I work to get rid of. It's not a one-and-done effort. If you're creative, you know. Organize, prioritize -- the two go together. Just like achieving your goals and success go together. Get one, get the other as a bonus. Goals are not neutral. They respond according to the environment we create. -- doug smith

What could go wrong? When you're working on an important goal, it's worth asking that question. The journey toward achieving that goal could be littered with little problems, big problems, nasty problems. Things come up. What's your risk strategy for dealing with those problems when they do? Do you have a plan B? (which in this case might be another goal, perhaps calibrated a little lower.) Do you have help in the wings ready to rescue you if you need it? Expect problems, because expecting no problems is a problem. Problems come whether you like it or not. -- doug smith

Do you work best indoors or outdoors? Many of us spend years (yikes, decades!) of our lives working in doors, in little boxes. It often cannot be avoided. I seldom could ever tell my boss that I was just going to work at the beach or out in the woods or up in the mountains. And yet, so much of my best thinking takes place in nature. If thinking is part of your job, how often do you get to think outside? Even when we are inside, it we can create environments that help us achieve our goals by having the right tools nearby. You can also improve your own productivity by listening to the right music (you decide what the right music is.) Create an environment conducive to achieving your goals. -- doug smith

Are you prepared? Whatever goal you are working on, have you prepared and designed a plan to get there? It takes a strategy. It takes selecting the tools you need, the tasks you need, and finding the help you need to reach your goals - whatever they are. Want to improve your communication skills? Plan who to talk with. Want to improve your leadership skills? Plan what you will change and who can be on your team to help you change. Want to improve your productivity? Plan how to make better use of your time by doing things faster, better, and smarter. None of your goals can be achieved accidentally. There is no magic, only work. What's your plan? What's your strategy? -- doug smith

Are you gifted with sarcasm? Many leaders take great joy in their sarcastic responses to questions and requests. It communicates a type of cynicism. Meant to be funny, but usually the only person who actually thinks that a sarcastic comment is funny is the person delivering it. It's not that everyone is too sensitive. They just don't appreciate sarcasm. As leaders, let's be careful to say what we mean, instead of verbally insulting someone else. What do you think? -- doug smith

How do you get people to change? Are there ways to increase and improve your influence? The book Switch, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath is all about influencing others. It's nicely summarized in this video from The Productivity Game, a reliable source of some of my favorite videos.

  What was your first job? My first actual job (not counting being the official scorer and announcer at the local Babe Ruth League) was a short term deal at Burger Chef. It was the early days of fast food. I was in charge of the fries and the grill making burgers. It was a tough job, and I didn't do my best work then. Did you struggle at all during your first job? I'm going to guess that you are not in your first job now. Those first job struggles are over. You're probably not in your last job now, either. A lot can change, and jobs change all the time. I might not even be in my last job and I truly love the job I do. My point is that we need to push on. We need to keep working hard. We need to keep learning. No matter what your job is or what order it comes in your list of jobs, your job right now is to work hard, to lead effectively, and to help people do better than they are doing right now. Get those three things right and you can truly call yourself a h