Fads come and go. So do theories and systems for success. But every once in a while, a couple of fads rise above the others and are worth their weight in gold. Here's one that can lead you to the business success you dream of.

Focus Most companies have an unwieldy list of goals to accomplish with more than 25 initiatives, 50 projects and 100 things to do. But, this kind of business "laundry list" can make it hard for employees to know where to start or how to stay on track.

That's why the first part of FADS for Success starts with FOCUS. Be strategic about selecting the goals and then limit them to no more than five. That's right, - just five. Why? Because without this kind of focus, your staff may work hard, but get little accomplished. For example, people might choose tasks that mean more to them, but don't support the bigger company objectives.

Sure each department will also have five goals of their own, and each individual will have their own goals too. But, for a business to function well and progress, the bigger initiatives need to be whittled down to focus on what's truly important for success. Your daily work falls into basic four quadrants:

1. Urgent and Not Important
2. Urgent and Important
3. Not Urgent and Not Important
4. Not Urgent and Important

Most people spend the majority of time in quadrants #1 and #3 and it makes sense to take care of whatever is urgent. But what would happen if you reassigned 50% the time focused on urgent unimportant matters and took care of the important matters? Think how much more successful could you become! The main take away here is to focus on the work that's important, not just urgent.

Accountability There are three key factors at work with accountability. The first is defining the project and communicating what needs to be accomplished. Completed projects are far more likely to hit the mark when expectations are made clear.

The second factor for accountability requires assigning a responsible party. By clearly identifying who is responsible, everyone knows exactly who will get the work done. Develop a system for your team based on accountability and track the projects as they move to completion. When timing is missed, analyze and learn from these failures and make adjustments when needed.

The third factor is timing. Every task, project, and assignment needs a specific due date. Words like soon, imminent, in a couple of days, or next week, can't be found on your calendar. A date has a particular month, day, and year and don't accept anything less. For the best results, get real with timing.

All three of these factors improve communication which is the overriding principle at work. When people understand the task at hand, who is responsible and the delivery date, everyone can move forward to accomplish the goals.

Discipline Discipline tracks performance. Schedule a weekly team meeting and insist that attendance be mandatory. Develop a process that measures results and tracks performance on a regular basis. Members briefly report on progress toward specific goals, discuss obstacles, brainstorm solutions and ask for assistance if needed. Establish clear measurement standards so everyone is on board with what is required. Make this reporting public and request open communication. That's the best way to gain compliance and participation. When teams follow this disciplined approach, productivity increases, goals are achieved, and employees feel more committed

This concept is a statement on consciousness. To keep a sense of urgency present, put a sign on your desk to ask this question: "Is what I'm doing right now moving me closer to my goal?" If you answered "yes," fantastic! If not, stop and shift your energies and attention to something that will move you forward.

When you apply these four principles: Focus, Accountability, Discipline and Sense of Urgency, your rate of accomplishment will sky rocket and everybody wins. You will feel more in control, accomplished, confident and satisfied and who doesn't want that? Start using FADS today and pave the way for your personal, your team's and your company's future success.

About the author: (Paul is the President of Action Business Advisors, LLC, an ACTIONCOACH Business Coaching practice located in Shelton, CT. To contact Paul, e-mail at paullavoie@actioncoach.com or call 203.954.0035.)

We use FADS here at Pilothouse everyday with Paul's help.

Thank you for your continued business and trusting Pilothouse Communications with your vital business communications. We are here to be your business partner in all communications- voice/data/video security.

Sincerely,