18. Measure Your Performance
The advice ―measure twice and cut once‖ is especially useful for
carpenters, tailors, and carpet layers to ensure accuracy. However, taking
measurements is vital for anyone who wants to improve their
performance.
Dr. H. James Harrington—involved in quality and performance
improvement projects since the 1950s—tells us why taking
measurements is absolutely necessary:
Measurement is the first step that leads to control and
eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure
something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t
understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it,
you can’t improve it.
Who Measures?
Any organization, team, or individual who wishes to perform at a higher
level or accomplish more must measure their progress.
To clarify, consider if:
Baseball players never knew their batting average
Advertisers did not measure the number of people who
responded to an ad
Golfers did not keep track of their scores
Online shopping sites did not track the conversion rate of website
visitors to customers
Students never knew the results of their tests
Customer service centers did not measure how long customers
were on hold
Without measuring performance, how would they know when they
improved?
Why Measure?
The very nature of knowing that something is being monitored causes us
to work harder and perform better. There’s actually proof of this—it’s
called the Hawthorne Effect. Coined in 1955 by Henry Landsberger, the
Hawthorne Effect describes a form of reactivity on the part of people
whereby they improve an aspect of behavior being measured simply in
response to the fact that the measurement is taking place.
Positive things happen when you measure your performance:
You are able to set goals and evaluate your progress.
You always know exactly where you stand at any time.
You can quickly and accurately trouble-shoot your problems.
You can identify weaknesses to strengthen or skills to refine.
You are able to see the results of your refinements.
How to Measure
To develop or improve any area of your life, you need to do three things:
1. Know your starting point. This is often referred to as your
benchmark or baseline—the point from which all progress is
measured.
2. Set a goal. Noted psychologist Arnold Glasgow said, “In life, as
in football, you won’t go far unless you know where the
goalposts are.”
3. Determine how you will measure your progress. Taking
measurements isn’t difficult, but it does take time. For example,
if you want to save money, carry a small notepad and write down
everything you buy and the price paid for each item.
You need to develop an action plan. Whether in business, sports, or
school, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. When you track and
measure your results each month, you will have new benchmarks that
you can strive to improve upon the next month. If you focus on
improving your results month after month, you will begin to see amazing
changes in your performance and results.
Are you ready to get started? Here’s a five-step plan.
1. Identify and list the parts of your life that you want to improve.
This is a critical component to your success.
2. Document your starting point. As an example, if you want to
increase your net worth, subtract your liabilities from your assets
and determine your starting point.
3. Set your goals. If you want to double your sales over the next 12
4. Determine the key factors that will influence your success. What
are the activities that, if done correctly and consistently, will help
you achieve your goals?
5. Create a means of measuring your actions and your results. For
the concrete measurements like weight, sales targets, and income,
use a notebook or software program to record the numbers. With
respect to the intangibles, like becoming more personable or
developing more discipline, keep a journal to document your
progress.
Remember: You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
As you measure your actions and results, continue to look for ways to
make refinements. This is all part of the ongoing process of striving for
excellence to be the best at what you do.
When you begin to track your results,
the refinements you need to make will be obvious.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
LTM - 17. Your Greatest Obstacle
17. Your Greatest Obstacle
If I had to identify the single most important factor in personal
achievement, it would be discipline—the ability to do what you know you
should do even when you don’t feel like doing it. Discipline—lacking it
can be the biggest obstacle between your goals and your
accomplishments but having it is the ultimate accelerator of results.
Here’s what I mean. I started selling real estate when I was 23 years old.
Young and inexperienced, I was at a distinct disadvantage when going
head-to-head with experienced and successful Realtors. If given a choice,
why would anyone select an immature, unproven Realtor to sell their
home?
I knew something had to turn the tide in my favor. Of course, I focused
on all the LITTLE THINGS to make a good impression; however, the one
thing that turbo-charged my income more than any other single factor
was my self-discipline.
Every day I sat in my little cubicle. Struggling to breathe and my heart
beating out of my chest, I picked up the phone and made call after call.
Pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I kept making calls until I got
appointments. By the end of my first full year, I had sold over 60 homes
and earned over $250,000. While all the LITTLE THINGS I did played a
role in my success, nothing played a larger role than my discipline.
Employing discipline is the most difficult LITTLE THING to do
consistently, yet it brings the greatest rewards.
Ten Ways to Develop Discipline
1. Make a Personal Commitment. The first step in achieving any
goal is to make a commitment to become a disciplined person.
This commitment means you will become a do-it-now person and
that you will no longer procrastinate doing things you know you
should do.
2. Focus on Your Goals. Review your goals every morning before
you start your day. Pick a quiet place where you can concentrate
and visualize. Put yourself in a state of mind where you have
achieved your goal and let your imagination go. You’re basking in
the satisfaction of a job well done. What does it look like? What
does it feel like? That burning desire that comes from within to
achieve your goals will help inspire you to take action.
3. Do What You Don’t Want to Do First. As you plan your day,
block out time to do those things first that require the most
discipline. Whatever it is—prospecting, exercising, or cleaning
the house—do it first. You’ll be amazed at how the feeling of
accomplishment stays with you throughout the day.
4. Get Enough Rest. A good night’s sleep is essential to
maintaining a high energy level. You will sleep better if you avoid
eating or drinking before you go to bed.
5. Eat Right. Eating right helps to maintain focus and optimize
energy levels. Start your day with a breakfast high in protein and
low in simple carbohydrates. For lunch, avoid eating foods that
make you tired and, above all, don’t overeat.
6. Start Doing the LITTLE THINGS. Start becoming more
disciplined by doing the LITTLE THINGS you know you should do,
like making your bed, keeping your car cleaned, taking the
garbage out, and picking up after yourself. As you become more
disciplined in doing the LITTLE THINGS, you will become more
disciplined in doing the big things.
7. Make the Decision in Advance. If you are going to tackle an
important project in the morning, then don’t second-guess your
decision in the morning. If you make the decision to exercise
every morning at 6:00 A.M., then don’t allow yourself to question
your decision when you feel like sleeping in. The decision is
made; follow through with it!
8. Make It a Routine. Set up a routine for doing the things you
don’t want to do. If you are in sales, set up a routine to prospect
for new business every morning from 9:00–11:00 o’clock. If you
want to be physically fit, then make exercising a routine.
9. Get an Accountability Partner. Do you have a friend, spouse or
co-worker who shares a common goal? If so, agree to hold each
other accountable in doing what you both need to do.
10. Reward Yourself. When you do the things that require discipline,
recognize and reward yourself after you are done. If you just
finished a big project, dine at your favorite restaurant or do
something special to celebrate. If you have been disciplined over
an extended period of time, perhaps a weekend getaway would be
appropriate.
Consistent discipline in all areas of your life will yield multiple rewards
beyond increased productivity. You’ll feel more confident and more
motivated towards achieving your goals, and you’ll feel proud of the
person you are becoming. It doesn’t get any better than this—feeling that
you have done something you didn’t want to do but you did it anyway.
LTM Challenge
Over the next several days, be intentional about being more disciplined. If
you have neglected to return a call or an email, do it now. If you have a
project with an impending deadline, sit at your desk and get it done. If
there’s something waiting to be done at home, don’t procrastinate. From
this point forward, use positive self-talk and say, ―If I don’t feel like doing
it, then I must do it now!” Then, without further delay, do it.
One of the most important keys to success is having
the discipline to do what you know you should do,
even when you don’t feel like doing it.
LTM - 16. Accept Responsibility
16. Accept Responsibility
You alone are in complete control and responsible for the decisions you
make and the actions you take; for your success or failure; for your
happiness or discontent; for your present circumstances and your future.
This bold statement is not intended to frighten or threaten, but rather to
empower you.
How we handle responsibility for our decisions and our mistakes is a
direct reflection on our character. It’s easy to see early on in life who gets
it right and who doesn’t.
Consider the youth soccer player who always blames the team’s loss on
the coaches, the officials, and the other players. Or, the young
professional with a poor performance record who insists that it’s always
because of something beyond her control.
At the other end of the spectrum is the group of boys confessing to the
neighbor that their baseball put a dent in his car rather than running away,
or the husband who humbles himself before his wife and children and
apologizes after having lost his temper.
Universally, people who accept responsibility for their actions command
greater respect and have a stronger influence. Those who pass the buck or
make excuses eventually lose the trust and confidence of others. This is
particularly true when that person has assumed a leadership role. No one
wants to follow leaders who are unwilling to accept responsibility for
their actions.
Here are three actions you can take to accept personal responsibility when
something has gone wrong:
Reflect. The first step is to conduct a self-examination to
contemplate your action or decision. Before you can make
anything right or apologize for a mistake, you must have a clear
understanding of where you went wrong.
Learn. When you make a mistake or experience a failure,
consider what can be learned. Some of life’s most valuable
lessons come from the things we have done wrong.
Change. Self-examination and learning by themselves are not
enough. If you are serious about accepting personal responsibility
and the benefits that come along with it, you must also commit to
follow through with change. Continue what’s working and change
what isn’t.
LTM Challenge
From this day forward, will you commit to accepting responsibility for
your actions and decisions?
A good place to start is by accepting responsibility in the following areas:
The circumstances of your life today
The state of your marriage
The condition of your financial status
The quality of your relationships with your children,
co-workers, and friends
The plans for your future
Assuming full responsibility for your life
and everything in it
is evidence of your character and
your desire to achieve your personal best.
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