There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to start by clarifying the picture of success. It is then to surf both successes and setbacks on the ways towards achieving success.
Imagine that you want to follow this approach in your own way. This can involve focusing on the following themes.
Success
Great workers often start from their destination and work backwards. Bearing in mind what they can control in the situation, they take they following steps:
They clarify the real results to achieve and translate these into a clear picture of success;
They clarify the specific strategies they can follow to increase the likelihood of achieving the picture of success;
They clarify the benefits – for themselves and other stakeholders – of achieving the picture of success.
Great workers also prepare properly. They set things up to succeed and rehearse following their chosen strategies. They focus on how to anticipate and manage any challenges they may meet along the way.
Imagine that you want to do a piece of work. You may want to publish an article, do a creative project, launch a new product, build a positive organisational culture or do another activity.
If appropriate, you can focus on some of the themes mentioned above. You can aim to clarify: a) the picture of success; b) the strategies you want to follow; c) the benefits to the various stakeholders.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on these themes. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Imagine that you have worked through these stages. You may then want to focus on the next theme.
Successes
Great workers often get some quick wins. They then also aim to maintain momentum by getting further successes on the road towards achieving their goals.
Imagine that you have settled on doing a piece of work. How can you get some quick wins? How can you encourage yourself on the journey by getting more successes?
How can you build on what you did right – such as the principles you followed – to get the successes? How can you continue to encourage yourself and other people on the way towards achieving the goals?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Setbacks
Great workers anticipate and manage any potential setbacks. Such workers may ask themselves the following questions.
What are the potential setbacks or challenges I may meet along the way? How can I prevent some of these happening? How can I manage these successfully if, despite my best efforts, they do happen?
How can I then aim: a) to establish clarity – the real results to achieve; b) to clarify the choices and the pluses and minuses of each option; c) to clarify any creative solutions? How can I then rehearse my chosen way forwards and do my best to achieve the desired results?
Imagine you want to follow elements of this approach when doing your piece of work. If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme.
Success
Great workers aim to finish properly and do their best to achieve their goals. Different people do this in different ways. Some people take the following approach:
They clarify their successful pattern for finishing by recalling the principles they followed to finish similar pieces of work successfully;
They clarify how they may be able to follow these principles – plus add other skills – to finish the present piece of work successfully;
They clarify how to translate these principles into action, perform superb work and add that touch of class to finish the piece of work successfully.
There are many ways to do fine work. One approach is to start by clarifying the goals. It is then to surf successes and setbacks and do your best to achieve the goals.
Imagine that you want to follow elements of this approach in your own way. How can you follow your successful pattern for finishing plus maybe add other skills? How can you do your best to achieve your picture of success?
If you wish, try tackling the final exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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