Goals for 2003

JJ's Tips in this issue:

* Turning Your 2003 Goals Into Reality
* JJ's Quote (on realizing your own potential)
* Resources to Learn More

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Use these tips as training tools. Present the problem to your group and
brainstorm solutions together. Submit your own situation question to be
answered in an upcoming newsletter.
-------------------------------------
SITUATION QUESTION:
-------------------------------------

Is there a way for us to predetermine the outcome of our personal and
professional goals we've set for ourselves in 2003?

By mid January, many of the new years resolutions we made for ourselves and
our businesses or jobs have already been broken or found to be harder than
we expected. With Christmas and New Years falling in the middle of the week,
the four weekends surrounding the holidays stretched the season into a
longer one this time. This was good for enjoying ourselves, but bad for
sticking to our new resolves personally and professionally.

People also get stuck in analysis paralysis, or always getting ready to get
ready. It's not too late to start now or again. These tips will help you
predetermine the outcome of many of your goals in 2003.
---------------------
SOLUTIONS:
---------------------

1. PLAN TIME TO PLAN. This is the part many people don't do. For the last
nine years I have rewritten my 5-year goals between Christmas and New Years,
but this year I purposely waited until the weekend after New Years day. It's
important to PLAN time to plan when there will be minimal distractions to
sabotage the process.

Most people have good intentions to lose weight, stop smoking, be
influential and motivational to their children or become healthier this time
of the year. We also look at our businesses and how to become more
successful this next year.

One of my CEO clients told me they had had the best year ever in 2002, but
they hadn't made more money. He was struggling with the uncertain (nice guy)
management of his people, and his different departments were operating as
islands instead of well-oiled teams with bottom-line thoughts and actions.

Another client said they had a desire to increase sales by following up on
customers who had inquired about their services but hadn't become a customer.

Others are eager to create a competitive advantage by offering greater
service to their customers. And since up selling and cross selling are just
additional services when they're done well, companies are also asking for
help in increasing their sales and improving service with them. Consistency
of staff and better internal communication and commitments are also seen as
areas that need to be improved by many companies.

2. MAKE A PLAN. A plan, goal or resolution is only wishful thinking until it
is written. Then the how-to process needs to be mapped out on paper and in
your mind. What can you do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to make your
goal a reality. Who else is involved? What commitments are you willing to
make where you can say that you will do whatever it takes to make it happen?

Keep it simple by taking a legal-size pad and writing what you want to
accomplish most in 2003. Don't look back at last year's goals if you did
write them, but instead, look ahead and visualize how you'll look and feel,
what new levels of business successes you'll have and what you need to do to
make them reality by your deadlines.

Each new year I go through a renewal process in all areas of my life. I look
to see what is out of balance, for we are all the sum total of our choices
we've made in the past. If we keep doing the same things, we'll keep getting
the same results. So I write the new year's goals looking forward to change,
taking a risk and stretching myself in unfamiliar territories.

THEME. Each year a new theme is created for my business year, and this is
put at the top of the current year's list of goals and how-to-get-there
statements.

When I can't think of anything else I want to accomplish this year, I
observe the number of items I've listed. The first year, it filled only half
a page, and after 9 years, I'm averaging a page and a half.

Then I move on to another page for the remaining four years. There will be
fewer items so less space is needed. Again, I don't look at last year's
notes because each 5-year plan is a new beginning with new circumstances.

This is the fun part because this page is your wish list for anything
you want. Remember, WHAT YOU DWELL ON IS WHAT YOU GET!

In the last nine years, many of the goals that were projected for years away
became reality one or two years earlier. Examples are, meeting and exceeding
my financial goals, writing a book, getting a publisher, speaking before huge
audiences and seeing myself keynoting on the large screens that were
bigger than life, creating products, spending a long vacation at the Grand
Wailea in Maui, and other goals from my wish lists.

3. WORK YOUR PLAN. After your 5-year plan is written, then look back at
your last year's plan to see how much you accomplished and where your focus
is now. You can add to any of the areas anytime throughout the year too.

4. MAJOR KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS! On your calendar book, write in red ink at
approximately the same time each month to "read 5-year plan aloud." Reading
it each month keeps you on track visualizing and working your plan. When you
hear yourself verbalize your goals, you get a quick fix on your progress,
successes and failures.

It takes about 21 days to break or create a new habit. Don't beat yourself
up for not making it happen right away or dwell on the negative, and don't
ever entertain the idea that you might not succeed. Instead, renew your
resolve and get excited about the outcome and the benefits that will be
yours. This process is a key factor in accomplishing your goals sooner than
you expected.

Keep it simple and consistent. If writing your goals and yearly business
plan is new to you, this is probably all you will want to do for this year.

For you more-experienced goal setters, read on.

5. BONUS TO SPEED THE PROCESS. If you want to speed the process and come
closer to predetermining the outcome, here are the other things I add to the
page beyond the next four year's page.

What do I think MY LIFE'S PURPOSE is. Mine is making a difference in
people's lives personally and professionally to increase the quality of
their lives, and to give whole heartedly to my partner, children, family and
business associates.

This is followed by my 5 KEY VALUES. This list consists of what I value
personally and professionally. When I read it each month, I quickly realize
if I'm living my values, and if not, adjustments are made.

The final part is WHAT WILL THE EMOTIONAL PAYOFFS BE when I reach these
goals. This list of personal and professional benefits always help me
persevere and discipline myself to do what is needed to reach my goals.

------------------
SUMMARY:
------------------

Plan to Plan; Make a Plan (2003-one or two pages; next four years-one page;
Life's Purpose statement, 5 Key Values, and Emotional Payoffs-one page);

Work your Plan; Mark calendar to "Read 5-Year Plan Aloud" once a month.

~~~~~~~~~~
JJ's QUOTE:
~~~~~~~~~~

My daughter, Cassie Evers, shared this author-unknown quote with me.

"If we all did the things we're capable of doing, we would astound
ourselves." You are more capable than you think, so astound yourself!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RESOURCES To Hone Your Skills:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book: Customer Service Management-How to Manage Customer Relations
http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/Products/products.html

Executive Coaching and Evaluation of Your Environment

http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html

Programs by JJ: http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/Programs/programs.html

****************************************
ABOUT JJ:
****************************************

JJ Lauderbaugh, CPCM

408 866-7673 or 800 500-9656, 189 Altura Vista Dr., Los Gatos, CA 95032.

JJ works with companies that want to give world class service and with
Directors and Managers who want to grow their people. Specialties are
performance improvement, customer care, teamwork, up selling, soft
skills and management coaching, training and consulting.

For training resources, free articles, tips and streaming video, go to our
web site at http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com

-------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright and Reprints:
-------------------------------------------------------------

Lauderbaugh, CPCM, Lauderbaugh & Associates, Inc., 2003. Reprinted with
permission from JJ's Tips, a monthly internet newsletter. For your own
personal subscription, email jj@jjlauderbaugh.com.
______________________________

We encourage you to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues who
would also benefit from it. If you want to unsubscribe, reply Unsubscribe on
the subject line. Our database is "never-sold or shared".

May your year be extraordinary! Feel free to send your questions and
comments as they are always welcome.

Thanks,