There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to focus on your capability, concentrate your efforts and do your best to achieve the desired concrete results.
Imagine that you want to follow elements of this approach in your own way. This involves focusing on the following themes.
Capability
There are several definitions for the word capability. These include the power or ability to do something. Bearing this in mind, you may want to explore the following themes.
What are you capable of doing? What are your strengths? What are the specific activities where you can deliver As rather than Bs or Cs? What is your successful style of working? How can you follow this in the future?
Some people may be able to clarify their own abilities. Some may also need help from a talent spotter who can help them to identify their strengths. This could be a friend, teacher, coach or another people who can see a person’s possibilities.
Some people are naturally good at seeing when people come alive and do good work. Others learn to develop this ability as they get older. One of my mentors emphasised this theme when we met during the late 1960s. They expressed this in the following way.
“When looking at people, try to have positive eyes. Anybody can tell you what people do wrong. The key is to look for what people do right. When is a person in their element – at ease and yet able to excel?
“What are they doing right then? What are the specific things they are doing to get positive results. It is then to encourage them to do more of these things and explore their potential.”
Such a talent spotter may watch a person in action or see an example of their work. Providing they have the person’s permission, they may say something along the following lines.
“As far as I can see, you can do superb work in the following areas. You have the ability:
“To …
“For example …
“To …
“For example …
“Looking ahead, you have the capability to do the following things. You have the ability:
“To …
“For example …
“To …
“For example …
“This is what I see you have the ability to do. It is up to you, of course, if you want to do any of these things.”
Different people are good at different things. You may be good at encouraging people, managing technology or doing other activities. You may be good at decision making, leading teams or playing other professional roles.
Let’s return to the original question. What are your strengths? What are the specific activities where you may have the ability to deliver As rather than Bs or Cs?
Bearing these strengths in mind, what may you be capable of doing in your work? What may be the concrete results you may be able to deliver? Which of these would you like to deliver?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Concentration
This step involves concentrating your efforts in the most effective way to get the desired concrete results. Several points are worth underlining about this approach.
It does mean that sometimes you will prepare properly before then concentrating your efforts at the right time in the right way to get the right results.
It does not mean that you will be concentrating 100 percent all the time.
Imagine that you have clarified your strengths and what you may be capable of doing. Bearing these in mind, you may then wish to focus on the following themes.
Clarifying what you want to do and
the concrete results you want to achieve
Preparation is crucial. Sometimes this involves resting, reflecting and then refocusing on what you want to do.
Imagine that you have clarified your strengths and capabilities. Bearing in mind your possibilities, you can clarify the specific thing you want to focus on doing. One approach is to do the following exercise.
Clarifying the strategies you can
follow to concentrate your efforts
on achieving the concrete results
Let’s assume you have clarified the results you want to achieve. One approach is to then go through the following steps. You can aim:
To clarify the key strategies you can follow to increase the chances of achieving the concrete results;
To clarify how you can concentrate your efforts – such as how to focus on your priorities and manage your time – to achieve these concrete results;
To clarify how to translate these efforts into action by rehearsing how to follow your action plan for achieving the concrete results.
Imagine that you have prepared properly. You have rested, refocused and rehearsed. You are then ready to move into action. This involves focusing on the next step.
Concrete Results
Great workers aim to be effective rather than just efficient. They therefore concentrate their efforts on following the strategies that are most likely to work.
Imagine that you want to follow this approach in your own way. Bearing in mind what you are capable of achieving, you may aim to manage your energy properly and take the following steps:
To concentrate your efforts on following the strategies most likely to achieve the desired concrete results;
To concentrate on continuous development by building on what is working and tackling areas for improvement;
To concentrate on finishing properly – such as by following your successful pattern for finishing – and doing your best to achieve the desired concrete results.
There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to focus on your capability, concentrate your efforts and do your best to achieve the desired concrete results.
Looking ahead, can you think of a specific activity where you may want to follow elements of this approach? How can you do this in your own way? What may happen as a result of taking these steps?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Leave a Reply