Personal Strengths – Page 8

One Key Lesson in Effective Goal Setting

Lean manufacturing drives improvement through continuous data driven analysis, experimentation, and problem solving. It is a never ending process. Two of the main targets for manufacturing improvement are cycle time and cost.

One example, from my manufacturing history, was the discovery of a new cleaning process for a lens on a laser welder. This lens required replacement after a fixed number of production cycles, and it was expensive. Through a development process, we were able to implement a new cleaning routine that extended the life of the lens. It also proved to improve the weld reliability by reducing variation in the process.

Another example, was a nylon fixture used in a punch press operation. Nylon was used for specific characteristics, but it wore quickly in the process. The base of the fixture needed replaced at least every month. It was not expensive, but we had multiple machines and fixtures. To reduce cost we were able to redesign the base so that it could be reversed and used on the opposite side after the first side was worn out. Effectively we doubled the life of the base, and cut our monthly costs by 50%.

Goals at work can be very clear. Usually they are data driven, measurable, and have financial impact. Goals at home are quite different.

If I were to apply work goals to my house, I would vacuum my furnace filters every week so I could use them longer without replacing them. Would it work? Sure, but why would I spend my time doing that?

At home, cost effectiveness and efficiency are important, but they are not the most important. What is my point?

We can accomplish great things. We have minds that are creative and imaginative. We have a human spirit that perseveres hardships and obstacles. But if we don’t have a clear sense of what we want to achieve, we are going to waste our potential.

My big lesson in making a goal more effective came through understanding the perspective through which the goal was set.

When is the last time you evaluated your goals? For me, it is an exercise worth completing every six months.

What Do Your Fears Cost?

Throughout our lives we experience success and failure. Events that shape us, and slowly create the bars of our cell. We build a cell based on our own success and failure. It is a comfort zone within which we live. Bar by bar, we build it.

The funny thing is we don’t realize we are caged. We enjoy our cell.

It is our fear that keeps us in the cell. We all have fears. People that say they don’t… well let’s just say they are afraid to admit their fears! Our fears are designed to keep us safe. But they can also keep us trapped, if we are not willing to test our limits.

As Mark Twain said, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

If you let fear control the size of your cell, your success will be limited. I like to ask myself, what is my fear costing me today? What am I missing when I fail to stretch beyond my comfort zone?

After some reflection this week, I have created a plan to step out of my comfort zone next week. The tasks I defined will not be easy. If I want to achieve my goals, I need to push myself to step out of my own cell.

Do you have a fear that is limiting you? Are you ready to step beyond your cell? Join me in creating a plan to break through next week.

Preparing for Tomorrow May Be the Most Important Thing You Do Today

When you are out of shape, exercising is not fun. It hurts. It is hard. Out of shape people try to avoid it. However, when you are in shape, exercise is completely different. A fit person loves to exercise. They get a lift from the workout.

What is the difference? Preparation. Their body is prepared for the workout. It is ready, trained, and it performs well.

Isn’t that the way with everything in life? If we are prepared, we do well. We have opportunity. We are not afraid to jump in.

There is a great correlation between preparation and success. Do you agree? Then today, on your agenda, schedule time to prepare yourself for what you want to achieve tomorrow. And also time for what you want to achieve next week, next month, and next year.

Really? We are already busy. We already can’t get everything done. So what do we do?

It is your choice. You control your calendar. You can either continue to achieve your best day by day, or you invest some of your time preparing for a better tomorrow.

How Committed Are You to Improving Yourself?

How committed are you to making yourself better? How satisfied are you with your current level of performance, current skills, and results?

I usually find that people are either committed and working to improve their skills, or they are making no effort and are content with their current situation.

When I think about the people that consistently seek opportunities to grow and what makes them unique, I have found these four attributes.

Know their strengths and weaknesses. They typically know themselves. They have evaluated their skills. They focus on making their strengths even stronger.
Willing to invest in their growth. Those most committed to growth, invest their money in their growth. They believe in themselves.
Willing to step out of their comfort zone. Getting out of your normal routine, and exploring new options are a way of life for these people. They like to learn new things.
Willing to fail. Overcoming failure may be the most important trait for people that want to continue to get better. Failure stops many people from future success. But those that turn failure into learning, will try again. Great success does not come without failure.

Where are you when it comes to these attributes? If you are like me, your intent is always bigger than your actions. Just knowing these attributes changes nothing. It is the action that counts. I admit I struggle staying motivated to put all of these into action every day.

No matter how well you do on these attributes, there is always room for improvement.