While most of us work in an air conditioned environment and drive our air conditioned cars, many workers work outside in the hot temperatures every day. They may work in warehouses that are not air conditioned, drive vehicles that are air conditioned, but then have to unload those vehicles in the extreme heat or they may have jobs that require them to be outside in the extreme temperatures and sun every day, i.e. construction workers, painters, lawn mowing and maintenance workers, roofers, day camper workers, etc. While most of you are saying, “they chose those work environments,”  please keep in mind that may be true however, it may also be the only type of work that they are able to find in our current economy or it may truly be their passion. Whatever the situation, whether you are the employer or the customer, please be patient with these workers. Go the extra mile to make sure that they have water and take frequent breaks to rehydrate.  Allow them to work in the shade and provide them with shade, if possible. Allow the workers extra time at lunch to leave the job site to be in an air conditioned evironment for a period of time. Be more lenient on company dress codes and explain to your customers that you are allowing them to wear fewer clothes due to the heat, if appropriate. (No, I am not suggesting that you allow your employees to wear swim attire unless they work around a pool, however, shorts and short sleeve shirts may be appropriate.) You may also want to provide hats with your company logo on it so as to provide them with some shade and to promote your company.

So whether you are the employer or the customer, please help our workers who work in the extremely high temperatures with some relief. Remember that the extreme heat does impact their levels of productivity and energy and their attitude. Show some tolerance for incidents and help them to COOL OFF appropriately. If you do, the results may be enormous!

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP

President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

Select a job that has been experiencing a high turnover rate. Calculate the full cost of that job by entering the average wage for that position on Line 1 and then multiplying it by 130% to include benefits costs. Next, multiply the total wage by 25%. This cost per employee may then be multiplied by the number of ex-employees in the same job on Line 6 to arrive at the total cost of turnover in this position.

Here are the steps:

Example:

While this seems like a simple calculation, most companies do not know their turnover costs. The cost of turnover impacts your company profits, so I encourage you to figure out how much you are spending today and work on a plan to reduce these costs and add to your bottom line in the future.

If you would like additional information about the cost of turnover or need help calculating your company’s, please contact us and we would be happy to assist.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP

President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

1.) Establish a consistent procedure for completing I-9 forms and educate your hiring managers on that procedure.

2.) Make sure that your company is using the latest version of the I-9 form for all new hires. To obtain a copy of the newest form go to www.uscis.gov/I-9 .

3.) Do not require an applicant to complete an I-9 form prior to making a job offer. Remember that this information may be used by the applicant as a claim that your company discriminated against them.

4.) Require all new hires to complete and sign Section 1 of the I-9 form within their first three days of employment.

5.) Do not ask new hires for certain documents.  Remember, the employee chooses which documents that he/she would like to submit, not you.

6.) Review an employee’s documents to make sure that they are on the list of acceptable documents and that they appear genuine.

7.) Be consistent when making and retaining copies of I-9 documentation provided on behalf of the employee.  Know whether your state requires that you have copies of the documentation or not.

8.) Remember to follow-up on expiring documents that limit the employee’s authorization to work.  This would not include a birth certificate, driver’s license, or other type of documentation.

9.) Make sure that you keep all I-9 forms and copies of documentation for three years after the employee’s hire date or one year after his/her termination date, whichever comes later.

10.) Keep all I-9 forms and supporting documentation in a separate file or notebook in a secure location.  Do not place the information in an employee’s personnel file.

For additional guidelines on I-9 forms, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated their Handbook for Employers, effective 1/5/11.  The handbook is designed to be used by those within an organization who have the responsibility for maintaining the I-9 records.  To download the updated version, visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/files/form/m-274.pdf.

If your company representative has additional questions about I-9 forms, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP

President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

Well written job descriptions are great to use during the hiring process.  They help you to better identify qualified or in some cases non-qualified candidates.  Using job descriptions to structure well written behavioral-based interview questions will only help you to be more successful during the interview and hiring process. Ultimately, they will also help to add to the financial bottom line of your company as you will have hired the most qualified and experienced candidate for the open position.

Well written job descriptions assist with defining the expectations of the job for an employee.  By having well defined essential duties and responsibilities an employee knows exactly how they are expected to perform and know the indicators for improving performance.  The expectations may then be used by the manager and/or supervisor for appraising the employee’s ongoing performance.

Job descriptions that include physical requirements and work environment guidelines may be used in workers’ compensation claims. By providing the job description to the medical facility, the treating physician will be better equipped to determine the work restrictions that should be placed on the employee. In most cases, it increases the employee’s recovery time and decreases the amount of time that they are away from work.

Job descriptions that include physical requirements and work environment guidelines may be used to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments.  An employer and employee knowing what the physical requirements are for the job are better equipped to determine if they are able to make reasonable accommodations for an employee without causing undue hardship to the company.

Documenting essential duties and responsibilities helps employers to evaluate the “duties test” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  By reviewing the essential duties and responsibilities and supervisory sections of the job descriptions an employer is better able to determine whether or not the employee in the job meets the requirements of the “duties test” to determine whether they are exempt or nonexempt from overtime regulations.

For employees who are looking for career development and learning opportunities within a company, having job descriptions available for other jobs is a great tool.  They are able to read those job descriptions and understand what is required from a knowledge, skills and abilities perspective for a candidate to be hired into that job.  This aids them in their ability to know where they should be cross-trained and where they may be eligible for promotional opportunities.

So, as you review the job descriptions that you have within your company evaluate whether they are meeting the advantages listed above.  If so, you are in great shape.  If not and you need assistance getting started, please give us a call. We have experience and expertise in writing job descriptions for companies of all sizes in all industries and would love the opportunity to assist your company as well.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP
President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

Heading Information – The heading information should include the title of the job, department, title of the position that the job reports to, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption status and date written or revised. While there is additional information that may be included in the heading these items are the most important.

Job Summary – The summary should include a very brief overview of the essential duties and responsibilities of the job.  Ideally, it should not consist of more than one to three sentences.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities – The essential duties and responsibilities of the job are represented in this section.  Listing the essential duties and responsibilities in percentage order of time spent on each task is a great way to get started. Each essential duty and responsibility should start with an action word, e.g. creates, implements, develops, coordinates, etc.  Try and stay away from the word assists, as it is generally not descriptive enough to explain what the action actually entails.  Don’t forget to include all other duties as assigned, so that if you accidentally forget an essential duty it is covered with these words.

Supervisory Responsibilities – If the job has supervisory or management responsibilities it should be listed in this section and not in the essential duties and responsibilities section.  Each supervisory responsibility should be included here to include: interviewing; hiring; training; planning, assigning and directing work; scheduling and approving time worked; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining; and addressing complaints and resolving problems. It is not necessary to list the number of employees or job titles of jobs supervised, however, it is strongly suggested that the name of the department(s) where the employees are assigned be included.

Competencies – Competencies are also sometimes referred to as knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform the job.  Most companies select three to four competencies that all employees who work within the company should possess, e.g. teamwork, customer service, organizational support and written/oral communication skills.  They also select three to four competencies that incumbents in each job should possess, e.g. leadership skills, strategic thinking, cost consciousness, analytical or technical skills, initiative, motivation, quality management, adaptability, dependability, etc.  It is strongly recommended that each competency have a description of what is expected so that individuals in the job completely understand what knowledge, skills, and abilities that they need to possess in order to be successful.

Education and/or Experience – This section should indicate the lowest level that the company requires a candidate to have with regards to both education and experience related to the job.  In most companies, the lowest level of education is a high school diploma or general education degree (GED).  In other companies it may be a bachelor’s degree (B.S. /B.A.).  Regardless, the educational requirements should be clearly defined.  The number of years of experience desired and/or required should be included here too.  It is also okay to state that an equivalent combination of education and experience is required in lieu of the stated educational and experience requirements. This allows an employer to hire a candidate who may not have the exact education and experience requirements, but may have comparable education or experience independent of the original requirements. If the position requires supervisory experience, make sure to include the number of years required in this section as well.  Any specific requirements with regards to experience should be included here too, e.g. operations, strategic planning, CNC machining, compliance, etc.  Keep in mind that this is a good place to include specific requirements related to education and experience.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations – Include any required and/or desired specific certifications, licenses and registrations needed for the position. An example would be to include a valid state driver’s license for positions that require driving.  Remember that even if an employer sends an employee out on an errand one time per year with either a company car or their own automobile, that a valid driver’s license would be required. More obvious registrations would include a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a certified financial planner, etc.

Other Skills and Abilities - This section is a catch all for additional knowledge, skills and abilities that may not have been included in the other sections of the job descriptions.  Standard lines include: Candidates must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with board members, management-level employees, staff employees and customers. –OR- Candidates must have the ability to adapt and conform to shifting priorities and demands and execute accordingly. This section provides freedom for listing those specific knowledge, skills and abilities needed for the job, not listed elsewhere in the job description.

Other Qualifications – This section includes other qualifications required to include; computer software skills, language abilities (either written or spoken), mathematical skills, reasoning skills, office machinery skills, amount of travel, etc. needed to be successful in the job.

Physical Demands – The physical requirements described in this section are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job.  Please remember to include in this section that reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.  Physical activities, e.g. standing, walking, sitting, climbing, talking, hearing, etc. and the approximate percentage of time should be included for each position.  In addition, the weight to be lifted or exerted should include how much and how often.  Any special vision requirements for the position should also be included.  As most employers do not have the expertise in house to correctly evaluate the physical demands needed for a job, it is strongly recommended that you engage with a human resources, ergonomics or work simulation professional to correctly assess the physical requirements needed for each job.

Work Environment – This section represents the environmental conditions that an employee is exposed to while conducting the essential duties and responsibilities of the job.  Examples include: outdoor weather conditions, fumes or airborne particles, risk of electrical shock, work with explosives, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of radiation, etc.  In addition, it is critical to list how much noise is typical for the work environment, e.g. very quiet, quiet, moderate, loud, or very loud noise conditions.  The hours of operation that the employee is expected to be on the job should be included here as well.

While these are the important sections that should be included in every job description there are others that some employers include.

Mission/Vision/Core Values - Some include their company’s mission, vision and /or core values within the job description.  If you select to do this it is recommended that you include it after the heading section and before the job summary. Including this information holds every employee accountable for adhering to your company’s mission, vision or core values while performing the essential duties and responsibilities of their job.

Signature Section - Some companies require that each employee and their immediate manager and/or supervisor sign the job description.  This is a great idea as there are no misunderstandings as to what the expectations are for the job by either party.  A fully executed copy is then given to the employee with a copy placed in their employee file.

Whether your company’s job descriptions include the above information or not, remember that they should be written with the job in mind and not around a specific employee’s skill set.  Keep in mind that if something happens to that employee and they don’t return to the job that your company needs to have a well documented job description in place in order to keep the operations running smoothly.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP
President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

Nevertheless, most of us have been the victim of terrible experiences in the conference room. We’ve been tortured by PowerPoint and bored to death by long-winded speakers. What are the best practices for productive presentations at work?

1. Commit to Preparation – This might seem obvious, but so many lectures fall flat because the presenter didn’t spend enough time getting ready. Allocate at least ten times as much space on your calendar to get ready as you do in the actual speech. That means an hour with your audience requires at least ten hours of preparation.

2. Tell a Story (But Don’t Be the Hero) – Your job is to craft a narrative, which means you need a beginning, middle and an end. Use analogies, humor and suspense. Set up problems and show solutions. And throughout, remember that you are the mentor, not the hero. Help the audience to identify with others, not you.

3. Never Read Aloud – If you place words on a slide or in a handout, never read them aloud yourself. There are few experiences more frustrating for an audience member than a narrator droning a bunch of words that the audience can read for themselves. The only exception to this rule is quotations—but even that works better if you ask someone in the group to say it for you.

4. Eye Contact and Pacing – You must look at your audience, and not just at one person. In the same way, you must give your audience time to digest ideas. Pause. Take breaks. Ask people to turn to each other to discuss what you just covered. Anything to create rhythm.

5. Deliver Action Items – People who experience a presentation deserve a gift. The best present you can offer is not a free lunch or a t-shirt, but clear next steps. This may require handouts or crisp phrases, but you want to ensure that people have something they can take back and put into action.

Follow these best practices and your presentations will not only be entertaining—they will be productive. They will inspire and engage your audience. Your words and images will help them make the right choice and pursue the next step.

Robby Slaughter is a workflow and productivity expert. His focus is helping organizations and individuals to become more efficient, more effective and more satisfied at work. More information at www.slaughterdevelopment.com

presentations may be to future or current customers, governance boards, other employees, management,

etc. While the audience may be different the common goals are generally the same. Presentations are

used as a tool to communicate an idea or opportunity to an audience. It is a commitment by the presenter

to help the audience do something and a constant evaluation of the worth of that commitment by the

audience. In most organizations, employees are continually asked to get their audience to commit to what

they are delivering in a presentation.

Presentations are a relationship building process between a presenter and their audience. They are

a partnership rather than a performance, a linkage rather than a confrontation and a task of coming

closer rather than pulling apart. The presenter knows something that the audience does not and they are

asking the presenter for information. In return the presenter has a need for approval through applause,

affirmation through body language, signature on a document, etc. Good presenters talk about what the

audience needs, not what they need for themselves. Chemistry is important with an audience, just as it is

important in one-on-one relationships. Building that chemistry with the audience is often a difficult task

for the presenter.

It is often said that individuals have less than 90 seconds to make a first impression with another

individual. This is true with presenters and their audience too. Their actions within the first 90 seconds

will make or break an audience’s ability to listen and buy-in to the information that they are providing.

Reverend Jesse Jackson once said, “I’ve learned that nervous speakers make people nervous.” If a

presenter is nervous the audience will pick-up on that nervousness and feel sorry for the presenter versus

listening to what that person has to say. So, it is important that presenters have a routine prior to giving

their presentation that helps them to calm their nerves and make a good first impression. Things that

have proven to help presenters to reduce their nervousness and improve first impressions include: taking

a brisk walk just before the presentation; continually telling yourself, as the presenter, that you have the

confidence in the material due to your knowledge of the subject; and creating one’s own perception of

leadership with the audience. Presenters are in control of the audience and need to use that control to

their advantage to help reduce their stress and nervousness. Presenters need to remember that by sharing

what they do know and not what they don’t know and opening up rather than withholding information

will only boost their own energy level and confidence, which projects positively on the audience.

Boring speakers put audiences to sleep and allow them to daydream away from the topic. Most people

have an attention span of less than nine seconds before daydreaming occurs, so presenters must keep the

topic fresh and energized. It is advised that presenters stay away from lecterns and podiums and move

around the audience. By moving away from the lectern and/or podium presenters are showing their

confidence in the subject matter and removing barriers between them and the audience. It also proves

that the presenter is alive and it keeps the audience awake. Presenters maintaining eye contact with all

audience members is important as they will be able to tell whether people are really listening, which may

result in changing up portions of the presentation in order to keep the audience interested. Speaking with

inflection in one’s voice also keeps the audience’s attention, as they are not sure what will be said next or

how it will be said. Asking for the audience’s participation is always a good way to keep them interested

too. They will be waiting to see if the presenter asks them to participate and want to be prepared.

Remember that presentations are all about the audience. Presenters are advised to start with an issue or

opportunity that is of direct concern to them, provide them with a different point of view or a different

way of looking at the issue, back it up with evidence, offer a resolution or an idea and then suggest the

next step. Keep in mind that presenters will never make an enemy by ending on time or sooner. Shorter

presentations that get to the point early are the trend of the times. So give the audience the gift of time by ending earlier or on time.

Question and answer sessions at the end of the presentation should be included in the total presentation

time. Good presenters anticipate what questions they will likely be asked and plan accordingly.

Executives typically ask questions that they already know the answers to. However, they want to know if

the presenter knows. Executives often think through the minds of their customers and presenters should

too. So, relating a question to a specific experience may show credibility as long as the presenter keeps

to the topic and does not stray too far away from the question. If the presenter doesn’t know the answer

to the question, it is okay to say so and get back to the person with an answer. However, if this is done, it

is strongly advised that the presenter do so as soon as possible. That weighs more on one’s credibility as

a subject matter expert compared to anything else. The best advice is to prepare for questions as much as

one prepared for the original presentation.

For additional information on this topic or if you need employee training on how to give presentations,

please contact New Focus HR, LLC.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP
President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com

out. This candidate has the right experience, solid qualifications, and a relevant work history, and has

given an impressive performance during the interview process. She said the right things, put forward

some great ideas and generally presented very well. You commit and make the hire. Three months

later, you begin to question your decision. Your new hire’s team appears disgruntled, morale is low,

and output and productivity are well behind the figures from the previous quarter. After investigating

further and speaking with a few key team members, you realize there is a disconnect—a mismatch. While

the hire looked impressive on paper and presented well during one-on-one interviews, your new hire’s

style, approach, and behavior on the job are simply inconsistent with the values and expectations of your

organization. Your new hire is not a good fit and you need to make a change. We are going to look at

seven reasons this could be.

1. Inadequate Capability

Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t believe what you read on a resume!

Capability refers to the skills, tools and experience that a person needs in order to successfully perform

her job. When any of these factors are missing, there is an increased chance that the employee will

underperform.

Diagnostics that help you identify if an underperforming employee has adequate capability:

Skills—Do you know what skills are needed to perform the job and whether the employee possesses

those skills? If she doesn’t possess the necessary skills, how will you help her acquire them, and how long

do you expect that process to take? Skills training takes time and money, and results are never guaranteed

unless there is adequate commitment from both the manager and the employee.

Tools—Even if an individual has the skills and experience to do the job, does he have the tools to deliver

peak performance? The tools don’t have to be the most up-to-date, they just need to work well.

Experience—Just because an employee has the skills to do a job doesn’t mean that he has the experience

to apply those skills in his specific position. This is especially true for recent graduates, outside hires from

different industries and internal hires from different departments.

2. Poor Job Fit

“Fit” reflects the behaviors and interests needed to succeed in a job

Many people fall into the trap of choosing a profession or job that is a bad fit. We are who we are.

Our “mental DNA” is influenced both by our genetics and our early life experiences, and it is almost

completely formed by the time we are 20 years old. Rather than trying to understand ourselves so that we

can choose a calling that builds on our strengths and aligns with our interests, we choose jobs because of

peer pressure and societal influences.

Skills can be taught, but behaviors are much more difficult to change

Skills can improve through training and mentoring, but it takes tremendous effort and motivation to

change natural behavior. If an individual isn’t motivated to change, then he probably won’t.

It is important to understand a person’s innate behaviors and interests when trying to match him with the

right job. Know the job, know what type of person is successful in that job, and then hire others who have

the behavioral traits that fit that job. This is easier said than done because it is difficult to gauge behaviors

in a job interview, but behavioral assessments can be extremely helpful.

3. Fuzzy Goals and Accountabilities

Clear goals help focus and motivate employees to achieve the desired results

Employees need to be very clear about their responsibilities and about the results you expect them to

achieve. Daily work and priorities are easily affected by the crisis of the day, new requests or changes in

direction. Setting and tracking SMART goals helps your employees focus on what is most important to

your business, and clear accountabilities help ensure that the work gets done with minimal conflict.

Use SMART goals to create clarity and improve the employee’s performance

Specific–Your employee has a much better chance of accomplishing a specific goal than a general goal.

Measurable–Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you

set.

Aligned–The individual’s goals need to support the organization’s priorities.

Realistic–To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able

to work.

Timed–A goal should be grounded within a time frame; otherwise there is no sense of urgency.

4. Poor Relationship with Manager

Do as I say and not as I do…clear as mud!

A poor relationship with one’s boss is the number one reason for failure at work. There are two common

flashpoints that adversely impact performance.

1. The employee is unclear about the manager’s expectations. Goals should cascade down from a

manager to his employees so that everyone understands how they contribute to the objectives of both the

team and the organization. If an employee does not understand the goals she has been given, or if she

hasn’t been given goals at all, then it is on her to seek clarity.

2. Managers fail to adapt their styles to the employees’ preferred styles. Every employee/manager

relationship is unique and requires a different management approach.

Managers and employees who understand each other’s preferred styles will better understand how to

communicate and work together effectively. We have identified seven factors that strongly predict the

compatibility between a manager and her workers. These are: self-assurance, self-reliance, conformity,

optimism, decisiveness, objectivity, and approach to learning. Assessing a manager and her employees

allows her to use objective information about herself and her workers so that they can work more

effectively toward a common goal

5. Poor Relationship with Co-Workers

Can’t we just all get along?

There are four primary factors that harm relationships among co-workers:

1. Insensitivity toward others–Insensitive co-workers damage any sort of team dynamic and potentially

expose the employer to hostile work environment and employment discrimination law suits.

2. Unclear accountability–Conflict between interdependent employees or groups emerges because they

are unclear about business objectives, priorities, and deadlines, as well as processes and resources for

delivery.

3. Poor cultural fit-Cultural fit refers to the employee’s compatibility with the organization’s values

and mode of operation. While the employee presents well on paper and performs well during one-on-

one interviews, the employee’s style, approach, and behavior on the job are simply inconsistent with the

values and expectations of your organization.

4. Incompatible styles–Co-workers have communication styles and natural behaviors that simply don’t

mesh well with one another, and neither is willing to adapt his style. This creates conflict and hostility,

which creates stress and distraction for the entire team.

6. Health and Wellness Issues

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Approximately $260 billion in output is lost each year in the US because of health-related problems.

Whether they are absent from work altogether, or present but working at a reduced capacity, employees

suffering from physical or mental illness have difficulty performing at their peak.

Employees spend approximately 36% of their total waking hours at work. This makes the worksite

an ideal place to provide workers with the knowledge and skills needed to help improve attitudes and

behaviors concerning health.

A comprehensive worksite health promotion program typically contains six elements:

1. Education about—and encouragement of—healthy living, focusing on overarching lifestyle changes.

Disseminate information and build awareness of healthy living issues, preferably tailored to employees’

interests and needs.

2. Supportive social and physical environments. This includes implementing policies that promote healthy

behaviors and reduce risk of disease.

3. Links to related programs that help employees balance work and family life.

4. Worksite screening programs ideally linked to medical care that ensures follow-up and appropriate

treatment as necessary.

5. Processes for supporting individual behavior change with follow-up interventions.

6. A continuous improvement process that enhances the program’s effectiveness.

7. Physical and Environmental Factors

Snug as a bug in a rug

Numerous behavioral studies have proven that a pleasant and comfortable work environment improves

worker productivity and reduces turnover. For example, indoor temperature affects several human

responses, including thermal comfort, perceived air quality, sick building syndrome symptoms, and

performance at work. Researchers in Finland showed that when the interior air temperature was 86°F,

worker performance was 8.9% below worker performance at the optimal temperature of 71.6°F.

Physical Factors

1. Workplace layout encourages efficient communication flow but minimal disruption

2. Ergonomically correct workplace reduces fatigue and distractions to reduce errors and injury

3. Safety awareness and concerns that can cause stress and accidents

Environmental Factors

1. Temperature

2. Air Quality

3. Lighting Conditions

4. Excessive Noise

5. Traffic

Indeed, it has been found that a productive work environment requires that management be able to

positively motivate its employees in an infrastructure that is amenable to employees’ needs.

Written By: Dan Lacy, Founder

Dynasty Business Consulting

www.dynastybuilder.com

knowledge to help you organize your time and your resources so that you can make the most of your life.

Setting sharp and defined goals allows you to measure and take pride in the achievement of them. This

allows you to see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long and pointless grind. It

also allows for you to raise your self-confidence and level of motivation as you recognize your ability and

competence in achieving the goals you have set.

The three steps to goal setting include:

1. Create your “big picture” of what you want to do with your life and what large scale goals you
   want to achieve.
2. Break those goals down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must hit so that you reach your
   lifetime goals.
3. Start to work to achieve your plan.

Long-term goals (10 years or more) may include areas in your life such as; artistic/creative, attitude,

career, education, family, financial, physical, pleasure and public service. When looking forward to a

pleasure goal, you may ask yourself “How do I want to enjoy myself in ten years?” or when looking

forward to a public service goal, you may ask yourself “How do I want to make the world a better place?”

First you need to brainstorm these areas and select the one that best reflects you and what you want to

accomplish. Once you decide on a goal area, consider trimming again so that you have a small number of

really significant goals on which you can focus. Make sure that the goals are ones that you really want to

achieve and not what others want you to achieve.

One of the keys to success in goal planning is to keep them SMART: Specific, Measurable,

Achievable, Rewarding and Timely. Start by setting a timeline for your plan; 10 years, 5 years, 1 year

and 1 month. Create a daily list of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals.

Review your plans to make sure they fit with the way that you live your life. Review and update your

to-do list on a daily basis. Periodically review the longer term plans, and modify them to reflect your

changing priorities and experience.

Tips for success may include:

• Stating each goal as a positive statement.
• Being precise.
• Setting priorities.
• Writing down goals.
• Keeping operational goals small for more opportunities for rewards.
• Setting performance goals, not outcome goals (variables that cannot be controlled).
• Setting realistic goals.

When you achieve your goals, take time to enjoy the satisfaction of having done so. Absorb the

implications and observe the progress you have made towards other goals. Reward yourself appropriately

as this helps to build your self-confidence and motivational level to succeed. Review your goal plans frequently and if you achieved the goal too easily, make your next goals harder.If the goal took a dispiriting length of time to achieve, make the next goal a little easier. If you learnedsomething that would lead you to change other goals, do so. If you noticed a deficit in your skills despiteachieving the goal, decide whether to set goals or fix the deficit. Remember, failure to meet goals doesn’tmatter much, as long as you learn from it. Feed lessons learned back onto your goal setting program. Remember that goals may change as you get older and remember to adjust them accordingly.

Goal setting is an important method of deciding what is important for you to achieve in your life, setting

what is important from what is irrelevant, or a distraction, motivating yourself and building your

self-confidence, based on the successful achievement of those goals.

Written By: Kristen Shingleton, M.B.A., CCP
President, New Focus HR LLC

http://NewFocusHR.com