So often we get caught up in focusing on the bottom line: What the P&L statement says, what Wall Street demands, what the shareholders want, what the manager requires, how we’re doing against this month’s goals, have I met my quota, etc. As a society we are conditioned to focus on the results rather than the process so it is no wonder we end up with head aches, tight muscles in our neck and shoulders, ulcers and premature aging. I have no doubt that this all sounds much too familiar.
Here is another perspective that I find relieves some of the tension and often produces better results. What more could an entrepreneurial society like ours want than less tension and better results? I recently had the great fortune to meet and speak with Lisa Norden, World Champion Sprint Distance triathlete in 2010 and her coach Darren Smith. Lisa is from Sweden and Darren is from Australia and they were in Davos, Switzerland for a race season training camp. The world of elite, professional triathlon is extremely competitive and grueling. Lisa was asked the question, “How do you manage to stay focused and not get discouraged by the pain, grueling distances and overwhelming pressure”. She replied that she raced by checking the boxes and the results took care of themselves.
I have always been a believer that focusing on the process is the key to getting improved results so I was all ears about her concept of “checking the boxes”. Lisa doesn’t focus on the goal of a winning time, she focuses on the goal of getting each of the individual actions executed with precision and excellence. She mentally checks each box and the World Championship results take care of themselves.
Did I do everything in my preparation stage? √
When I set up my transition, was everything in its proper place and order? √ When I entered the water, did I get the surge I needed in that first 200 meters? √
Was I in the right position at the first buoy in the water? √
When I exited the swim to my bike, was I focused and racing my own pace regardless of what other competitors were doing? √
Did I stay within my power zones without getting distracted by others? √
If there were uncontrollable obstacles like head winds, rain or rough roads, did I turn these into positive challenges rather than cursing my bad luck? √
You get the picture. Lisa knows the podium finish on the top step will be assured if she manages each step along the way with excellence. Stress is relieved by focusing on small steps rather than the overall daunting task, energy and excitement are built as you experience how well you are successfully managing the parts of the whole, and confidence builds as you celebrate completion along the way.
Lisa’s technique serves as a good example for all of us in business also. Rather than focusing on the year end goals, the competitive pressures, and the external demands which often seem overwhelming, if we choose to focus on all the controllable aspects throughout the process we will be assured the desired results will occur.
No one sells a bottom line, no one manufactures a net profit, no one produces an exponential improvement as a product per se. What we all do regardless of our business or service is manage the myriad of process steps along the way to produce, service, or sell our produce or service. Just like Lisa, we can produce hugely improved results with less stress and tension if we focus on checking the boxes along the way rather than the daunting overall goal.
So what is your goal? What is required to produce the results you need to achieve? What are the sequential steps necessary? Have you done your preparation and training to build your capability? If not, this is step number one. Can you put a √ there? If you are prepared, then check the boxes as you produce, service or manufacture. Integrity (you can’t check the box if you didn’t perform the task with accuracy and excellence), tenacity (did you work until you got each step complete and correct), and quality (does your work product represent your brand, will your customers be delighted with it) are a few of the values upon which your checklist must be built. Build in the right values, diligently use the checklist and your overwhelming goals will be met and frequently exceeded.
Just imagine the power that comes from getting your whole organization checking the boxes and focused on doing their best one step at a time. Just like Lisa, you’ll be World Champions, achieve your goals, and have less stress along the way.
Deb Waitkus and I are co-facilitating corporate-learning workshops used to anchor concepts - Birdies, Bogeys and Business: Success On and Off the Course, Mental Mulligan’s, and the Two-Day Golf School. All are ways to build your team, increase your skills and add new tools to your bag. Call me at 480-236-4266 or email me for information.
http://www.peakperformancecorp.com