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The 12 Week Year (Confronting the Truth (Measurement builds self-esteem…
The 12 Week Year
Confronting the Truth
Measurement builds self-esteem and confidence because it documents progress and achievement
The sooner we confront reality, the sooner we can shift our actions toward producing more desirable results
Lag indicators: the end results
Lead indicators: the activities that produce the end results
Effective measurement captures both lead and lag indicators
The most important lead indicator is a measure of your execution
An execution measure indicates whether you did the things you said were most important to achieving your goals
If you are not hitting your goal, you need to know whether it is due to a flaw in plan content or in execution
You should rarely change the plan unless you've been effectively completing your plan tactics and it is still not producing
If you are executing at a high level and the results you want are not coming, then it's time to go back and adjust the plan
The best way to measure your execution is to work from a weekly plan and evaluate the percentage of tactics completed
Use weekly scorecard to measure execution, not results
Strive for excellence, not perfection: If you successfully complete 85% of the activities in your weekly plan, then you will most likely achieve your objectives
The 12 week year system forces you to confront your lack of execution. We call this discomfort productive tension
Productive tension is the uncomfortable feeling you get when you're not doing the things you know you need to do. The easy way to resolve it is to quit. If quit is not an option, the tension compels you to take action on your tactics
Take Back Control of Your Day
What often keeps you from being exceptional is not a lack of time, but the way you allocate the time that you have
We do easy things to escape and to relax, especially we don't have to do anything proactively
Some of your choices may make it seem like you are staying busy when in reality you are choosing to avoid your more important, and often more difficult activity
You will have to choose to spend time on the difficult things that create your biggest payoffs
You will need to guard your time intensely, delegating or eliminating everything possible that is not one of your strengths or does not help you advance your goals
A weakness will rarely become a strength
Focus on your strength that will produce your greatest achievements
You must intentionally align your time and activities with your strengths and your unique capabilities
Model work week
15 minutes first thing Monday morning to review the prior week and to plan for the current week
Schedule your 3-hour strategic block
Schedule one to two buffer blocks each day, Monday through Friday, one in the morning and one near the end of the day
Schedule a breakout block
Schedule all additional important activities
Strategic block agenda: 3 hours
Reconnect with your vision: 5-10 min. Review your vision and access your progress
12 week review: 10-15 min. Review your metrics, results, and goals. Inspect your weekly scores. What can you do this week to improve?
Assess performance breakdown: 10-20 min. Do you need to adjust your plan or just execute better?
Work on plan tactics: 2 - 2.5 hours. Complete tactics from your 12 week plan
Buffer time agenda: 30 - 60 min
Emails, voicemail, calls
Follow up on to-do list items
Quick meetings
Identify new to-do list items
You can't do it all: Work strategically
Performance time
Breakout blocks: prevent burnout and 3 hours. Should be schedule once per week. At the beginning, schedule it once per month until everything else is working
Buffer blocks: deal with low-value activities between 30 minutes and 1 hour, scheduled one or two times per day
Strategic time: uninterrupted 3 hours and scheduled early in your week
Pitfalls
You conduct business as usual. It is easy to fall into your old habits because they are comfortable
You don't focus on one thing at a time in your strategic blocks
You allow distractions to steal your attention
You think being busy is the same as being productive. Learn to prioritize your most important activities and do those things before your work on anything else
Tips
Work from a written weekly plan
Input your model week into your calendar
12 Week Commitments
Commitment: The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to some course of action
A personal commitment is a promise you make with yourself to take specific actions
Excuses are the manifestations of deeper intentions: desire for comfort, pleasure, satisfaction, relaxation, entitlement, etc.
Successful commitment occurs when you stated intentions are stronger than your hidden intentions, or when you consciously reconcile the conflict
We have stated and hidden intentions, and our hidden intentions often conflict with stated intentions
Identify commitment costs: any hidden intentions that may conflict with your stated goal
Most relational pain comes from broken promises
You should have a strong desire to keep your word
You should count the costs. If you commit, only later to realize that you are unable or unwilling to follow through, re-negotiate the promise quickly before it's due.
Action on your promises
It is OK to say no. People would rather you say no than break a promise. It is hard to say no because you don't want to disappoint anyone. But it is much better to say no than to be overcommitted and not deliver your promise
Pitfalls
You miss a commitment once and give up. It is important to get right back on the house. Don't give up.
You fail to confront missed commitments. Confront the breakdown right away and recommit to paying the price
You don't value your word
Tips
Don't overcommit
Go public with your commitments
Buddy up
Intentionality
Time limits our results
The average people wastes nearly two hours of every working day
You must be intentional about how you spend your time
Organize your life around your priorities and consciously choose activities that align your goals and vision
When you spend your time with intention, you know when to say yes and when to say no
It is not enough to be busy. The question is: What are we busy about?
The key to success time use: Block out regular time each week dedicated to your strategically important tasks
Use 12 week year plan to drive your activity
Performance time: strategic blocks, buffer blocks, breakout blocks
Strategic block: 3 hours of uninterrupted time per week on preplanned tasks
Buffer blocks: One or two 30 min - 1 hour time per day to deal with unplanned and low-value activities
Breakout blocks: At least 3 hours on things other than work. Use it to refresh and reinvigorate your mind
Develop Your 12 Week Plan
Planning helps you focus on what you should do
An effective plan takes time to create
With planning upfront, the overall time and effort to complete a task can be significantly reduced
12 week planning creates an increased premium on the value of time
A 12 week plan priorities your action choices proactively
A 12 week plan focuses on vital actions that drive your results
A 12 week plan shortens the time frame to focus on both what and how. So it is execution-friendly
Start with two to three specific and measurable goals, aligning with your long-term visions
Tactics start with a verb and are complete sentences
Five criteria for goals and tactics
Make them specific and measurable
State them positively
Ensure they are a realistic stretch that they will call on you to deliver your very best
Assign ownership (accountability)
Be time-bound: with a begin and due time
Before putting your plan down, ask yourself what actions will you struggle with and what will you do to overcome those struggles?
Pitfalls
Your 12 week plan does not align with your long-term vision
Your aren't staying focused. Do not establish too many goals
You don't make tough choices. Brainstorm all your tactics and select the critical few. The less is more
You don't keep the planning simple. Don't over analyze your plan and there is no perfect plan
You don't make it meaningful. Connect to your personal vision and goals
Redefining the Year
Annualized thinking: Believe the success and failure is determined by what is achieved over the course of a year
Lack a sense of urgency: We mistakenly believe that there is a lot of time left in the year, and we act accordingly
Effective execution happens daily and weekly: If we can't produce a substantial increase this week, why do we think we can do it for the entire year?
Every week counts! Every day counts! Every moment counts!
Stop thinking in terms of a year; instead focus on shorter time frames
Making plan does not mean that people are accomplishing what they are capable of
A deadline creates urgency: Activity is up and people are focused. With little time to waste and with clear objectives to meet. Focus on critical projects and push aside low-value tasks
Periodization in sports: Focused training regimen concentrating on one skill at a time for a limited period, e.g., four to six weeks
The results you achieve are a direct product of the actions you take. You actions are manifestations of your underlying thinking. It is your thinking that drives your results.
A 12-week year: 12 weeks in a year. Shorter time frame. More manageable. Every week becomes important
Annual planning is a barrier to high performance
Establish Your Vision
Your professional vision often funds and enables your personal vision
The best visions are big ones
Your vision should be big enough that it makes you feel at least a little uncomfortable
You should expect that you don't know how to achieve your big vision otherwise you should already have done it
You don't ask how, but ask what if: what will happen if you achieve the vision?
The best vision balance your professional and personal lives
Your vision provides you with an emotional link to help you overcome the challenges and execute
Three time horizons
Long-time aspirations: 5, 10, 15 years. Be bold and courageous
Three-year vision: Based on your long-time aspirations. Be specific
12 Week vision
Pitfalls
The vision isn't meaningful to you. We capture what we think we want -- what we think we are supposed to want -- rather than capturing what is meaningful to us. Keep working on it until you have something that connects emotionally
You don't take the power of vision seriously
Your vision is too small. A small vision doesn't call on our best efforts. To be most effective, your vision should make you feel uncomfortable and challenge you to do things differently -- and do different things
You don't connect your vision to your daily actions. If you work from a plan that is aligned with your vision, you can be sure that you are acting on the most important things every day
Tips
Share it with others. It increases your commitment and you feel more responsible to act
Stay in touch with your vision. Print it out and keep it with you. Review it each morning and update it every time when you discover ways to make it more vivid and meaningful to you
Live with intention. At the end of each day, reflect on the progress that you made today. Be intentional in your actions to make progress on your vision and adjust your actions accordingly
The Emotional Connection
Important actions are often uncomfortable ones
The critical first step to executing well is creating and maintaining a compelling vision of the future with strong emotions, that you want more than your short-term comfort, and then align your shorter term goals and plans, with that long-term vision
You need a vision of the future that is bigger than the present and connects you emotionally
Behind every impossible achievement is a dreamer of impossible dreams
The more personally compelling your vision is, the more likely it is that you will act upon it. Your personal vision creates an emotional connection to the daily actions
A lack of passion is not a crisis of passion; it is a crisis of vision
A personal vision should define the life you want to live in all areas, including spiritual, relationships, family, income, lifestyle, health, and community
By default, the amygdala in your brain reacts negatively when we are facing uncertainty and risk. However, the prefrontal cortex acts as a counterbalance to the amygdala when you imagine greatness for your future. You can change your brain by simply thinking about a compelling vision
Execution requires taking new actions and new actions are often uncomfortable. It is essential to have a compelling reason associated with strong emotions to drive you
Installing Process Control
New actions are almost always uncomfortable
Without structural and environmental support, follow through becomes a constant exercise of willpower
Relying on willpower occasionally can work, but it has a fatigue factor and we don't always have willpower
Weekly plan translates the 12 week plan into daily and weekly action
The weekly plan is populated with the tactics from the 12 week plan that are due that particular week
If these tactics get done, you've had a great week; if not, you've lost a week. Having this level of clarity each week is powerful and life-changing
Weekly Accountability Meeting (WAM)
Get peer support with Weekly Accountability Meeting with a group of two to four committed individuals
Individual report out: report results, execution score, intentions for the next week, get feedback and suggests from the group
Successful techniques: discuss what's working well and how to incorporate these into one another's plan
Encouragement
Weekly routine: score your previous week, plan your week, participate in a WAM
Pitfalls
You don't plan each week
You include all your tasks. You should just have the strategic items from your 12 week plan. You need a separate sheet with to-do items and callbacks. Do not dilute your plan with lower-level activities
You assume that each week is the same. Update your weekly plan based on the tactics due that week
You add tactics weekly. You should update your tactics only occasionally. Most of the tactics flow from your 12 week plan. This prevents you from getting drawn into urgent activities that are not necessarily strategic.
You don't use it to guide your day. Check in with your weekly plan first thing each morning, once or twice throughout the day, and before you go home
You don't make it part of your routine
Keeping Score
Measurement drives the execution process
Effective measurement has both lag and lead indicators
The more frequent a measure is, the more useful it is
What you measure on a weekly basis is the execution of your planned tactics, not your results
To embrace measurement and not to shy away from it
Focus on more actions than results
Scorecard only measures your execution not your results
Pitfalls
You think that measurement is complicated or unimportant
You don't schedule a block of time each week to assess your progress
You abandon the system when you don't score well. Have the courage to assess each week and don't back down, even you have a disappointing week
Tips
Review your weekly score with a buddy or a small group of peers each week
Commit to make progress each week. Focus on making progress. The goal is to raise your level of execution each week
Remember that a weekly score of less than 85% isn't necessarily bad
Don't be afraid to confront what your numbers are telling you
Taking ownership
Our culture supports and rewards victim mentality
A victim allows his success to be limited by external circumstances, people, or events
When we acknowledge our accountability, our focus shifts from defending our actions to learning from them. Failures simply become feedback in the ongoing process of becoming excellent.
Resolve never to be the victim again
Stop feeling sorry for yourself
Be willing to take different actions. If you want different results, you need to take different actions.
Associate with "Accountables". Stay away from victims and excuse makers. Treat that mind-set like a deadly, contagious disease.
Pitfalls
You continue to view accountability as consequences
You look outside yourself
Tips
Acknowledge reality
Focus on what you can control
Greatness in the moment
Multitasking guarantees that we will be mediocre since nothing gets our full attention
Our attention is spread too thin, and when we strive to do so much, we apply very little to any individual activity
You are mostly effective when you are mentally where you are physically -- when you are present in the moment
Greatness is achieved when an individual chooses to do the things he knows he needs to do. The results are just conformation of the greatness
The difference between greatness and mediocrity on a daily and weekly basis is slim, yet the difference in results down the road is tremendous
What makes a champion is the discipline to do the extra things even when -- especially when -- you don't feel like it
Don't settle for anything less than the life you are capable of
Your first 12 weeks
Connect to your vision to overcome the discomfort
Focus on two to three goals
Be present and execute one action a time
First four weeks: plan your week, score your week, participate in a weekly accountability meeting
Second four weeks: You should see progress in lag and lead numbers. You should have a sense of progress towards your goal. If not, identify the breakdown and commit to resolving it
Last four week: finish strong. Create positive results and set you up for the next 12 weeks
13th week: Give an extra week if you need to hit your goals. Assess your performance and reflect on the past 12 weeks. Recognize and celebrate your progress and success
The Challenge
Most of us have two lives: the lives we live and the lives we are capable of living
Knowledge is only powerful if you use it, if you act on it
Great ideas are worthless unless they are implemented
Execution is the single greatest market differentiator
The barrier standing between you and the life you are capable of living is a lack of consistent execution
Improve the results not by working harder, but by focusing on the activities that matter most, maintaining a sense of urgency to get those things done, and shedding the low-value activity that keeps you stuck.
Interest versus Commitment
When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit, but when you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results
When we commit to something, the question of if goes away and only question you ask is how
Four keys to successful commitment: strong desire, keystone actions, identify and anticipate the costs, action on commitments instead of feelings
Learning to do the things you need to do, regardless of how you feel, is a core discipline for success
It is difficult to commit to anything for a life time. The 12-week plan only asks you to commit for 12 weeks at a time
When things get difficult, we find reasons why we can't keep our promises and we shift our focus to other activities
Intentional Imbalance
Life balance is not about equal time in each area; life balance is more about intentional imbalance
At different times in your life you will choose to focus on one area over another, and that's perfectly fine, provided its intentional
There's no such thing as work-life balance. There are work-life choices
Two options in making a 12 week goal: routine tactics and keystones
Start with your vision to decide what to focus on
The Execution System
Three principles: Accountability, Commitment, Greatness in the moment
Five disciplines: Vision, Planning, Process Control, Measurement, Time Use
Process control: align your daily activity with the critical actions in your plan
Emotional cycle of change
Uninformed Optimism: see all the benefits of the change and one of the downside. This stage is fun
Informed Pessimism: Benefits don't seem as real, important, or immediate, and the costs of the change are apparent
Valley of Despair: All of the pain of change is felt and the benefits seem far away or less important. Most people give up at this stage. A compelling vision, combined with process control, is critical to overcome this discomfort!
Informed Optimism: The benefits of your actions are starting to bear fruit and the costs of change are lessened because of your new thoughts and actions are become more routine. The key is not to stop!
Success and fulfillment: The benefits of your new behaviors are fully experienced and the costs of change are virtually gone. You build not only your capacity, but also your confidence
The 12-week system is a closed system that is a common ground for different goals
Accountability as Ownership
Accountability is ownership, a willingness to own your actions and results regardless of the circumstances
You always have a choice. There are no have-to's in life
It's easy to become a victim to outside circumstances
Keeping your promises to others builds trust and strong relationships, and keeping promises to yourself builds character, esteem, and success
One Week at a Time
Leave 15 - 20 minutes at the beginning of each week to review your progress from the past week and plan the upcoming one
Spend the first 5 minutes of each day reviewing your weekly plan to plan that day's activities
Each tactic has a designated week for completion, and these tactics drive your weekly plan by dictating your daily actions
Throw Out the Annual Plan
12 Week Planning
Every 12 weeks is a new year and a fresh opportunity to be great
12 week planning is more predictable than 12 month planning
12 week planning is more focused: Be great a a few things instead of mediocre at many things
Identify the top one to three things that will have the greatest impact, and pursue those with intensity
Most individuals spend more time planning a trip than they do planning their business
Working from a plan reduces mistakes, saves time, and provides focus
Setting Goals
Tactics must be specific, actionable, and include due dates and assigned resonsibilities
Your daily activity must align with your long-term vision, strategies, and tactics
You current actions predict your future
Tactics are the to-do's that drive the attainment of your goals