Following on from our last post:
The final step in developing your plan is determining what you will do to accomplish your goals. Each goal should follow the SMART format (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, Timebound) and should offer you an opportunity to demonstrate your learnings. For example, if you are working on your time management skills you may take a course or read a book. That’s a great starting point, but the next step is to outline 2-3 habits you will implement and track how you do against those. Maybe you have trouble meeting deadlines. What did you learn in class or through the book that will be implemented to overcome this issue? Implement the learning (perhaps calendar reminders) and track how you are progressing against your goal (setting reminders and meeting deadlines). Ask your manager for feedback.
Perhaps you would like to deepen your understanding of competitor products. What materials will you digest to meet this goal? Leading journal clubs for your colleagues will help deepen your understanding of the material and result in discussion that will benefit everyone. Do you have a colleague with a similar goal? If so, meet on a routine schedule to discuss materials you’ve read. Has one of your colleagues worked with a competitor’s product? Can discuss your learnings and gain their perspective? Outline a SMART goal and hold yourself accountable to accomplish what you’ve set out to do.
Perhaps you will be networking to learn more about the cross-functional teams you encounter. What goal will you set for the number of networking sessions you will schedule in a month? Set a goal of writing Thank you notes 100% of the time and within 3 days of your meeting. Measure your progress against this SMART goal.
More in our next post…