Motivational

Rule 25: Set objectives

August 8, 2016

Ex-Music Star, Chichi of Africa now Mrs. Chibuzor Idowu

An
objective is a simple one-sentence mission statement that you can use to get
you through your day. It is almost
impossible to be successful or to get promoted if you don’t set objectives.

An
objective outlines the key, important, ingredients in your work recipe. Suppose you have a meeting to go to. Now we all hate meetings, they are
interminable, boring, unproductive, counterproductive and an endless source of
irritation and argument. You know that Stephen
from accounts is going to be there and will endeavor – usually successfully to
wind you up. You know you’ll get
side-tracked and end up discussing the relocation to Swindon when it doesn’t even affect your department. You know you’ll end up discussing budgets for
the exhibition stand when that’s six months away and it hasn’t even been
decided that you’re going to take a stand at the national trade fair this
year. So, set an objective:

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‘I will only speak on
matters I know about and understand and are relevant to me at this meeting and
no matter what Stephen does I shall
not rise to the bait’.

Good. Now stick to it.

Suppose
you have to present a report to the Finance Committee about the new costing of
the wild flower meadow to go in front of head office’s new buildings. You know the Finance Committee can waffle on
for hours about irrelevant topics such as whether it is better to have oxeye
daises or

“IT IS
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL OR TO GET PROMOTED IF YOU DON’T SET
OBJECTIVES”.

marsh
buttercups and all you need to do is present them with the cost of seeds,
mowing equipment and haymaking provisions without getting caught up in the
minutiae of which flower is most attractive in spring. So, set an objective:

‘I will present my
report and, once comments have been made, will make my excuses and leave. If the committee insists on discussing
matters that are irrelevant to my being there I shall assertively point this
out and leave’.

Good,
now stick to it.

Use
an objective for every area of your working life. They take but seconds but they do help
highlight:

·
What
is wrong

·
Solutions
to what is wrong

·
Action
to be taken to correct what is wrong

·
Ways
to prevent the problem recurring

(Excerpts from THE
RULES OF WORK by Richard Templer Read “How to understand Your Role” from The Rules tomorrow on Asabeafrika)

Rule-to-Work Series