Getting Focused
Michel Hudson, CFRE, CEFL
Supportive Guidance for Strategic Planning & Retreats
January is often a time of getting focused.
I’d like to share some personal insight I had years ago around this topic that involved both work and family -- two aspects of our lives that often intersect, whether we want them to or not.
?? I had just returned from a meeting with an association of surgeons, where I facilitated a strategic board retreat to help them identify priorities for the next few years.
?? Two days later I got a call telling me my mother had fallen and was at a local hospital. While it might seem strange to connect the two, I approached both events in a similar fashion.
GETTING FOCUSED IN TIMES OF CHANGE
Planning takes focus, but so does the unexpected. Whether you’re an association or the child of an aging parent, focusing on the important issues gets you more quickly to your goals.
?? Being distracted by the daily grind or minor inconveniences only drags you off course.
With the group of surgeons, having a day devoted to working through how best to proceed with new and continuing projects allowed them to brainstorm and concentrate on just those facets of their operation (pun intended).
领英推è
No extra stuff -- like who they will get to be on the board next year, or how the conference brochure will be designed -- got in the way of the bigger plans. Those things were addressed in a separate annual planning session on a different day.
?? You can only get to the bigger plans if you focus on them, without homing in on the minor details.
Likewise, dealing with an ageing parent can get you lost in all the paperwork and minutiae.
If you don’t have a clear focus on the overall goals for your family, you can be pulled in so many directions you don’t know what to do first.
?? Picture the circus performer trying to keep all the plates spinning on sticks and you’ve got the idea.
So HOW do you Get Focused? I’ll leave that topic for future posts, where I will delve into areas like surveys, goal setting, and mission statements -- many of the pieces that help make organizations (and families, for that matter) more successful in the long run.
Even LinkedIn posts need to be focused instead of trying to cover everything at once. <grin>
Marketing Copywriter & Content Creator | Copywriting | Content Creation | Print & Digital Marketing | Website Copy | Blog Posts | Email Marketing | SEO | Case Studies | Editing | Presentations | Children's Book Author
2 个月Oh yes, the "extra stuff" is a constant struggle for me. As a chronic procrastinator, I am often guilty of letting a million related things pull me off the primary goal. It can feel like I am getting things done, but it can also be a way of avoiding the main task.
Personal Life Coach for Executives and Achievers in Transitions - What's your most ambitious goal? Let's talk.
2 个月"No extra stuff" -- this jumps out at me! With groups of people, it can be easy to collect a lot of new thoughts about what should be on the table for discussion. That's a leadership ability: keeping a group focused. Looking forward to future posts, Michel.
Managing Director | Founder/ Principal at Langlois Consultant Services, LLC
2 个月We definitely need to keep the main thing?the main thing. This helps us when the unexpected happens and we need to pivot. I usually use planning a road trip or vacation as an example, but I think your example is more relevant. Best to your loved one.
Founder & Principal | Shana Burg Digital | Helping Thought Leaders Scale Influence Through Custom Content
2 个月Michel Hudson, CFRE, CEFL I had never thought about applying strategic planning principles to family management but you're so right! Getting focused on the bigger picture is totally key. But in the day to day dealing with your loved ones it can be truly hard to keep the focus on the larger goals. Great food for thought!
Public Relations & Marketing Strategist & Owner, Amy Carr Communications
2 个月I really like your perspective on "getting clear" before one moves ahead (in any endeavor). I think it may be that missing ingredient that we need to do first BEFORE all the New Year's resolutions, dreams, and aspirations. No wonder we get overwhelmed. There are proverbial rabbit holes everywhere! We have to get clear on what the priority is first, so we can figure out where to spend our attention and our energy.