Targeted Activities v. Desired Results

Targeted Activities are the WHAT and HOW of what you do to get to your Desired Result. Your Desired Result is your ultimate goal, the WHY of your Targeted Activities.

Never, EVER become so focused on, so enthralled by, your Target Activities that you lose sight of your Desired Result.

Job Fairs are Targeted Activities, hiring talented Rock-Stars that stay is the Desired Result.

Resident events are Targeted Activities, the Desired Result is loyal Residents that renew and become our best sales force.

Actionable Data

Related to Targeted Activities v. Desired Results is the concept of Actionable Data. Information can be useable BUT before you spend a lot of time gathering data, ask yourself HOW you will be able to use it, WHAT you intend to accomplish with it i.e. will it be ACTIONABLE?

Yes, occasionally you will serendipitously see patterns that surprise you and that you can unexpectedly use which is fine if the data was economical or easy to get, NOT so if time consuming or expensive to obtain.

Trend Data and Tiered Targets v. Point in Time

Much of the data we look at is static Point in Time data. Having Trend Data i.e. where we were year over year or last month gives much more context.

Tiered Targets

You can’t hit a target you can’t see and stretch goals are motivational yet people vary in their response to aspirational goals. For some they are incredibly inspirational, others can find them stressful, even respond with “deer in the headlights” syndrome. Tiered Targets are a way to cover the spectrum by having multiple, stacked goals that allow us to fully engage Possibility Thinking, envision outcomes previously beyond our ken. Imagine: 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd, Home Run, and OUT OF THE BALLPARK! 1st base is Foundational, 2nd is Growth 3rd is Awesome, Home Run is Superman, OUT OF THE BALLPARK is Frothy, Rock Star!!!

Timelines, Deadlines, and Intermediate Accountability Checkpoints

All goals and commitments should come with Timelines, Deadlines, and Intermediate Accountability Checkpoints. If you don’t know enough yet to set, then give a date by which you will. Folks, I’m a very motivated individual but I still find deadlines helpful and I frequently set internal/artificial ones ahead of the external ones.

The above are all subsets of Critical Thinking Skills/Systems Analysis

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier