As the new year starts and we question what we are going to do and how are we going to it in 2011, it pays to keep our perspective on what service we are providing and then set goals accordingly.
One main purpose of goals is to set a plan in place that will help the goal setter achieve his purpose of serving others. If we analyze the purpose for any business or person it is to serve others in some way. It may be counterintuitive but before someone makes a decision to go forward on a goal in their life or business, the question should be “What will serve my or our purpose best?” In other words, how will the results of a stated goal serve the overall purpose of the individual or organization?
Here are some questions to begin the process:
- What things are getting in the way of our purpose?
- What results will serve our purpose best?
- How will we achieve those results?
- What specific goals must we set to achieve those results?
- How will the achievement of those goals serve all of our stakeholders, including family, friends, community, employees, vendors and customers?
- Why would the achievement of these goals be important to our stakeholders?
Once you have answered these questions it should become clearer as to which goals will provide the best pathway to service.
In summary, if we can clearly identify what our particular service is, then it becomes easy to identify what goals we should be working on and eliminate all those that do not align with that purpose.
Jeri Quinn from Driving Improved Results is an executive coach, management consultant, speaker and author who focuses on communication in her work with executives and companies. She is the author of The Customer Loyalty Playbook, 12 Game Strategies to Drive Improved Results in Your Business. With more than 40 years as a serial entrepreneur.
