There isn't anyone I've talked to in the past week or two that is not reeling in some way from all of the changes that seem to be happening daily in their lives.  Many individuals, most organization and businesses I interact with are feeling the swings of the economic climate and are either dealing with the downturn or trying to figure out what to do now that things may be turning around.  In either case it's uncomfortable. 

 

Recently I had the chance to work again with a company that I had worked with a short time ago.  They had taken a break to work on the vision we had developed and it was time to check in.  In their initial session we had worked to develop a vision for where they would like to be a year from now.  They developed numerous specific details on what they were going to do, and how they were going to achieve it.  Their executive board came up with a number of tasks to significantly move their organization forward.  As we met again, not much had changed from the prior meeting.  I immediately began to feel that sudden knot in the pit of my stomach, concerned that I had not done something that I should have.  I usually look at myself first to make sure I have not done something I shouldn't have.

 

However, as I talked with the group it became apparent that there were several reasons and conditions within their control that caused them to remain stagnant, in spite of having a plan in place and solid steps to achieve them.  I offer them to you hoping you may find these useful in gaining more balance in these times of turmoil.

 

Begin by clarifying (as we did with this group) your vision of what you would like to be different a year from now.  Any specific period of time will work but be as specific as you can.  How do you want things to change?  What do you want that you don't have today?  What do you want less of?  The more detailed the vision you create the better your chances of achieving it.  Once you have written it down, prioritize these points according to their priorities.  Once this is completed, you can go to work on your first three goals. Taking on no more than three at a time.

 

Next, develop the steps you will need to take you from where you are, to where you want to be for these top three goals.  This will become your (MFA) Map For Action! Type the goal and the steps for achieving it into PowerPoint slides and make multiple copies.  When this is completed laminate them or put them into clear plastic folders.  Like any best friend you will want your MFA to be around you a lot.  Put a copy in your bathroom so it is the first thing you see in the morning.  Put it on your refrigerator so you see it at each meal.  Put it in your car so you can see it when you arrive at your destinations and when you depart.   Whatever you pay attention to tends to increase.  When you begin to ignore it, it will also fade in your mental field of vision.  Every organization that has done the process the way I have outlined, has had success beyond their previous efforts.   Every group that has not followed this process as I have laid it out tends to find their vision fading over time.  It works personally and organizationally.

 

After undertaking this process, one organization we worked with was able to cut their grant application preparation time by two thirds, being more specific in their initial vision development.  I've heard it said that "where there is no vision, the people parish."  You only have to look around you today to see organizations working themselves into obsolescence.  We are either improving or getting weaker.  Isn't it time to do it differently?

 

Be well!

John