Finish

NIKE has built a reputation with the tag line, Just Do It. Starting a task the first step towards achieving a goal.?Channeling motivation and energy to start is important. But as we move into December, I want to celebrate finishing.?Completing the undone. Crossing the goal line. If we want to be PEOPLE…ALL IN, we must be finishers.?Having the accountability to fulfill the missions for ourselves and our teams.?

FINISH

I set a personal goal to write and post on LinkedIn each month in 2022.?With no prior experience in writing these articles, I started with my first one in January.?There were many typos and resubmissions throughout the year, but I finished with one each month.?Regardless if anyone ever read these posts, I wanted to do something outside of my comfort zone.?It was a great learning experience for me.?I FINISHED!?

FINISH

On October 9, 2022, I received my final grade to complete my Masters in Business Adminiatration.?My first class was in 2008 at Clemson University. After getting halfway through my journey, I paused.?That short interruption lead to a much longer break.?When I join Integrated Power Services in 2021, I was determined to complete my MBA.?I enrolled at North Greenville University and took my final 6 classes. I FINISHED!?

In order to FINISH, there is a process that is involved.?

EVALUTE, GOALS, and EXECUTE

EVALUATE - What do you have?

January is the month for setting New Year’s Resolutions. Looking into the makeup of your team and your personal skills, it is good to EVALUATE what you have.?With teams, you must inventory personnel before taking the next move.?In my business, we look into each team as we develop Annual People Plans.?These APPs are lengthy, but it is time well spent.?Personally, I try to evaluate my skills.?Have I addressed my areas of weakness??Am I able to contribute with my strengths? When we pause to evaluate, the same as a mechanic will look under the hood of a car, we are able to take the next needed steps toward FINISHING.

GOALS - Are they yours? Are they real?

The ability to construct a goal is valuable. The acronym SMART refers to goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. I like to think of goals in two questions. Are the mine? I love to read. I love to read when I want to read. When a book is pushed on me, I almost refuse to read it. Similar to goals, when we create the goal, the buy in to achieve the desired result is more likely. Are they real? If I wanted to play in the National Football League, I would have had to start long ago to achieve this goal. When you are in the evaluation stage make sure that the goal is attainable. I like a good stretch goal, but when a person or team achieves the goal they have aspired, it build traction for more. If you want to be a FINISHER, set goals that are yours and that are real.

EXECUTE - A Man with a Plan... Can!

My high school basketball coach had a typed out, thoughtful practice plan for each day. He challenged us to shoot 1,000 shots a day throughout the summer (40,000 shots). This had planned system that included variation into the workout. I have been around managers that execute on feeling. The system changes each day. Leaders that write down what they would do in a given situation are likely to success when it occurs. Create a plan based on the two previous steps. What did you evaluate? What goal are we trying to achieve? This about roadblocks that will hinder performance. Prepare, Execute and FINISH.

I hope everyone has had a chance to be FINISHERS in 2022. There is no better feeling in accomplishing a goal. If we are going to be PEOPLE...ALL IN, we must Evaluate, set Goals, and Execute. It has been a blessing to write these articles. I am FINISHED!