Jeff McLanahan
Contributing Writer
Direct Energy
Most of us can’t resist the temptation to set goals with the start of each new calendar year. Typically, we want to exercise more, spend more time with family or friends, eliminate bad habits, get better organized, learn a new skill or do some other thing to improve our lives. We also set goals for our business. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget about these goals or have a hard time getting started and another year passes by without us reaching our goals. It is now March and it is time to re-examine those goals we set at the beginning of the year, both personal and for our business, and then look at and act on the next steps.
For example, did you decide you wanted to be a better leader?
• What is next for you:
• To learn a new skill or technique?
• Qualify for a specific community award?
• Improve your location’s performance relative to others in your region?
• Hit a specific metric your organization values?
• Or, just become better at what you do?
When we answer the previous question, it is time to take the next step and actually determine exactly how to achieve what we want. Training and development will help you reach your goals.
If you want this year to be different than 2016, you need to do certain things to set yourself up for success.
Step 1: Determine your next step in reaching your goal
Step 2: Plan a path to achieve your goal
Step 3: Identify possible barriers/obstacles and how to overcome them
Step 4: Talk your strategies and tactics over with an advocate/mentor
Step 5: Tell people what you are doing and what you’ve achieved
“People who get what they want tend to be the ones who make the effort to know what they want.” Oprah Winfrey
If you haven’t defined your next step or goal, you won’t be able to achieve it. Once you’ve set your goal, you can congratulate yourself on getting a good start. Now decide how you plan to get there. What things need to be implemented? Reinforced? Eliminated? Do you need to instill new habits or get rid of bad ones?
In an article on “Moving Up the Ladder”, Dr. Randall S. Hansen identifies not planning your day as the top “Surefire Way Not to Get Promoted”. Even if promotion isn’t your immediate goal, planning your day is essential to working toward whatever goal you have set.
Part of your plan will most likely include identification of potential barriers/obstacles to your success. While you may not have the ability to remove all of the obstacles, accounting for them will help you to have strategies or tactics for working around them.
One way to create strategies and tactics is to discuss issues with your supervisor or a mentor and take advantage of their experience or perspective. If you don’t have a mentor, now would be a good time to look for one. Mentors can be people within your organization, your social circle, or someone else in the home services industry, but they shouldn’t be people with direct supervisory responsibility over you. Research shows that 80{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f} of people who receive promotions have mentors.
Having a mentor can help you craft plans, strategies or tactics, but they can also serve another important purpose. They can help expand your professional network by introducing you to others.
Finally, if you want to be recognized for your achievements, you may have to do a little self-promotion. Nobody likes the person who can’t stop talking about themselves, but you need to learn how to be sure your achievements and contributions are known to the people who can influence your future.
Jeff McLanahan is a seasoned training executive with more than 20 years of proven success with some of the most well-known and highly respected franchise brands. In June 2013, Jeff joined Direct Energy Home Services as the Vice President of Training for Success Academy, the exclusive training partner for the Direct Energy Home Services branded businesses including One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin – The Punctual Plumber, and Mister Sparky – America’s On Time Electrician. Success Academy, supporting the home services brands of Direct Energy. In August 2016, Jeff accepted the role of Head of Learning & Development, North America, and now leads all training functions within Direct Energy in North America.