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Monday, January 28, 2013

Daily Lean Tips Edition #42

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:


Lean Tip #616 – When Setting and Achieving Goals Write Them Down
A very simple tip and a very effective one, too. Write your goals on a piece of paper and paste it somewhere which can remind you everyday that you need to get them. No, I am not suggesting that you get paranoid. If you think that they won't go out of your mind and you don't need to jot them down, it's good. But if there's a slightest chance that you'll lose sight of them, it's better to have them written down and take a look everyday.

Lean Tip #617 – When Setting and Achieving Goals Make an Action Plan
So you have set goals, written them down and now you are all set to start working towards achieving them. First step - make an action plan. There could be more than one method to achieve a goal. Which one suits you ? Decide on it.

Lean Tip #618 – When Setting and Achieving Goals Welcome Failure
If you learn to welcome failure and keep going, I think there's nothing which can stop you from achieving your goals. I don't know anyone who had an absolute smooth run and became successful. Failure is an important part of the entire process. Welcome it. Learn from it.

Lean Tip #619 – When Setting and Achieving Goals Track Progress
Extremely important. If you don't track progress, you don't get an idea if you are going the right way and if you would ever achieve it in the time frame you had set in your mind. So track your progress everyday. There are various methods and tools to track progress.

Lean Tip #620 – When Setting and Achieving Goals Persist
Persist. Don't give up. As I mentioned, there could be many paths leading to the same destination. Try out different methods. Learn and improve. Be patient. Be persistent.

Lean Tip #621 - It takes time for a change to become an established habit.
It will probably take a couple of months before any changes become a routine part of your life. That's because your brain needs time to get used to the idea that this new thing you're doing is part of your regular routine.

Lean Tip #622 - Pleasing other people doesn't work.
The key to making any change is to find the desire within yourself — you have to do it because you want it, not because someone else wants you to. It will be harder to stay on track and motivated if you're doing something out of obligation to another person.

Lean Tip #623 - Roadblocks don't mean failure.
Slip-ups are actually part of the learning process as you retrain your brain into a new way of thinking. It may take a few tries to reach a goal. But that's OK — it's normal to mess up or give up a few times when trying to make a change. So remember that everyone slips up and don't beat yourself up about it. Just remind yourself to get back on track.

Lean Tip #624 - Read, Listen and Learn
Setting goals is not about accomplishing things as much as it is about personal growth. You see, when you set goals that are challenging, you will have to become a better person in order to accomplish those goals. That is why it’s important that you read, listen and learn how you can become better in every area of your life.

Lean Tip #625 – Achieving Your Goals Requires Determination
One of the most common characteristics of people that constantly achieve their goals is that they are determined and relentless. They don’t give up. Imagine being relentless in the face of obstacles and challenges. See yourself blasting through the roadblocks and moving boldly to your goals. You already have that ability in you, you just have to dust it off and start using it.

Lean Tip #626 - Get Energized About Work.
Getting energized about work usually results from a couple things. Primarily if a work culture is fun to be in, it’s a place you look forward to going because the people (and leadership) are authentic, caring and fun. And teams that are energized with what they are doing get excited by the opportunities that a day may bring.

Lean Tip #627 - Planning is the Basic Step for Success.
You won’t know where you are going unless you know where you want to go. Confusing? Well that’s exactly how your business would be, if you do not keep things simple and organized. Planning is the basic step to succeed in business and planning accurately and developing strategies will lead you to a healthy and growing business. That means reframing the top down objectives in your organization. Don’t just work with only the large goal in mind. Set immediate and short term goals that fire up your team. Celebrate achieving those goals and adjust as the culture and needs change… We live in a very fluid business world where things change fast. Create a team that is able to change along with it.

Lean Tip #628 - Strive to Learn Something New Every Single Day.
It is easy to get bogged down in the same old, same old. In order to fully realize potential, you’ll have to add knowledge, skills, and experience. Don’t expect your potential to spring forth in a final draft; it takes time to hone your skills and build your confidence. This could come from formal schooling, from the school of hard knocks, or from both. Either way, your education is the house your realized potential will live in. The opportunities for learning are multiplying every day in this information/technology age. Learn at least one new thing every day. Improve your mind and enhance your skills. Never stop learning.

Lean Tip #629 - Work Smarter Not Harder.
Productivity comes from working smarter, not harder. That is the difference between effectiveness and efficiency. You can be effective without being efficient, but, the key to productivity is to do both. Sometimes, those job inefficiencies are not very obvious. However, if you can specifically identify them, then those inefficiencies can be eliminated and staff can become more productive. By distributing the tasks and responsibilities around, you not only become more flexible and able to respond to changes more quickly, but you involve more people in the improvement process. This can increase work satisfaction as well.

Lean Tip #630 - Devote Time Each Month to Employee Development.
Most people want to learn and grow their skills at work. Encourage experimentation and taking reasonable risk to develop employee skills. Get to know them personally. Ask what motivates them. Ask what career objectives they have and are aiming to achieve. You can make their career. In order to get the most from your employees, you need to invest time and resources in their development. Annual performance reviews simply aren’t enough. Make a point to sit down with each employee on a monthly basis (or more frequently, if possible) and provide them with specific feedback and areas of improvement.


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