SMART Goals - Tumblr Posts

The problem of the uncomfortable!

The problem of the uncomfortable, is not the goal, it is the journey. Even in project management, there is a lot of energy put towards identifying risks and mitigating them. Another metaphor for this same journey is a Dungeons and Dragons quest.

The Man Kind Project looks at the uncomfortable through many processes, but one identified in the article is "Stretches". Stretches, or SMART Goals, are the steps in the project plan to walking the journey and achieve the goal.

Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time Bound

While these steps, ask you to look at the best case scenario outcome, we often forget to examine the worst case scenario outcomes, that most project managers look at on a daily basis.

Dependencies Risks Issues Assumptions Unknowns

For many people, the only worst case scenario they consider is, "Being hit by a train!" They never consider that they might be hit by a body part of someone else's worst case scenario. Or even worse, someone's best case scenario being to push someone into their worst case scenario. (- Sorry, it's a little gruesome for role playing effect! -)

"No strategy survives contact with the enemy.", Helmuth von Moltke the Elder. It is only in recognizing patterns that we find the path of least resistance to the goal. Many Jujitsu students study how to navigate their partners counters to eventually submit them. Chess students also study chess patterns to build strategies.

Like Jujitsu students, members of the Man Kind Project, study processes that help men explore their worst case scenarios. Processes for looking at risks. Holding men accountable to agreements. Ways to cleanly express upset and wants, while acknowledging why those things are important. Seeing judgement and beliefs for what they are .. walls. Understanding that sometimes we have to give up something to get something. and more ...

A process I use and can share from Directed Dreaming, is this: What is the issue? What is causing the issue? What are solutions for this issue? How do I feel about this issue? What do I do when this issue comes up? Can I live with this issue? What am I getting now with things unchanged? What would I get if things changed? What would I have to give up if things changed? What do I want?

The Journey. Not the goal is where the uncomfortable lies. Crossing the mountain through mud and snow. Over treacherous bridges and glide lines. Climbing sheer faces with 1000 foot drops, or being chased by a bear. These are all possibilities on a journey through a mountain pass. Until you meet a troll under a bridge. Or come a cross a home that smells of candied cakes. Or maybe a something else from the Grimm Fairy Tales.

Face your fears and you will conquer the world.

Seven Ways to (Really) Engage People

This article is in response to:

http://bnetworking.info/?p=2369

Interesting article on Seven (7) Engagement Motivators. Question: What brought this group together in the first place? It's a generic question, but usually points to the issue that people are passionate about working on and trying to solve. The more that people care about the problem they are trying to solve, the more energy, effort and fighting spirit that they will put into the project. As you pointed out, a project that has personal meaning and SMART goals remains tangible to the whole group. Relationships are formed as people discuss various aspects of the problem, ways towards the solution, and fight over the best course of action. Commitment becomes a self motivator that prevents apathy from setting in. Belief is a tricky issue though, yes I would want people to believe in my abilities, but I think belief goes much deeper than that. I suggest that you take more time to delve into how belief affects individual members, the group as a whole, observers, peers no in the group, and people who don't care about this issue. I think there is a lot that will affect the human psyche from each of these perspectives. Freedom arrives as, you mentioned, managers learn to stop micro managing the process, and rely on subordinates to follow the ISO documents that describe the step by step process. However, as long as managers are tasked with gathering metrics against the ISO documents, their ability to provide freedom may not be permissible. And, subordinates may have to rely on other venues to provide feedback into the system. As described through "The Toyota Way." Work Ethic and Integrity. The Social Contract. Whether written or verbal is an agreement and understanding about the quality of the work that needs to be performed, what each person is responsible for, and why they are there - usually their expertise. These points, in turn, point back to each individuals intentions for being part of the project. Only 10 percent of the each persons intentions will ever be exposed to the group. As a leader, following the definition of leadership, "Guiding Intent with Integrity" towards a goal, these categories plus the additional 600+ out there, need to be thoroughly understood to properly master leadership. I look forward to reading your thoughts on how the rest affect leadership, followers, non-followers, outsiders, and observers. For example, a topic you touched on, and could discuss further is, how facilitation affects a leaders ability to build stronger relationships with everyone.