“Map out your future, but do it in pencil.” ~Jon Bon Jovi
Your Outcome: Take control of your week and create a compelling vision to guide you throughout the week.
Welcome to day 2 of 30 Days of Getting Results. Today we take a look at Monday Vision from Getting Results the Agile Way.
Have you ever had a week fly by and when Friday hits you’re asking yourself, “Where did the week go?” Not any more. With Monday Vision, you take a moment to jump ahead to the end of the week, and you ask yourself, “If this were Friday, what are three results I want under my belt?” Monday is your chance to create a compelling vision for your week. Monday Vision is a simple pattern for helping you achieve more effective results each week. It’s also a great way to deal with a case of the Mondays.
The Challenges
Monday Vision can help you deal with three common challenges:
- You’re overwhelmed. You have way more to do, than you can possibly get done during your week.
- You’re underwhelmed. You’re not inspired. You might have a bunch of things you should or could do, but you don’t have the energy for it.
- You get off track. You spend your time on a lot of things, but at the end of the week, you didn’t get done the things you really needed to get done.
The Response
On Mondays, you simply identify three key results you want for the week. This is your vision for the week. It puts you in the drivers seat and you get to decide what you want to accomplish. Rather than get lost among the sea of things to do, you bubble up the three most important outcomes for the week, and these three outcomes help guide you throughout your week.
This simple pattern has a few benefits:
- Each week is a fresh start.
- It’s a way to make your week more meaningful.
- It’s a way to help you prioritize and focus.
- It’s a way to help you improve your results.
Turning Your Results into Compelling Stories
After you identify your three results, you can turn them into stories. You can turn them into simple, one-liner stories, where you are the hero. For example, let’s say three results you want for the week are:
- Finish my project plan
- Create my slides for my presentation
- Complete key stakeholder reviews
This might not be very compelling. You can spruce it up as simple stories and connect it to your values. For example:
- Win the race to finish my project plan in record time.
- Create a presentation that sets a new bar for my personal best.
- Turn my stakeholders into raving fans.
You have to play around to find what connects with your heart. What you end up with is three stories to drive your week. These stories are hand-crafted and personal – after all, you made them. They are yours to make happen.
Your Assignment
- Identify the three things you really want to accomplish for the week.
- Turn your three outcomes into simple stories that you feel passionate about.
Don’t worry if you have trouble figuring out your three best results, and don’t worry if you have a hard time turning them into compelling stories. What’s important is simply trying the exercise. You might surprise yourself, and in the best case, you’ll inspire yourself to a new level you didn’t know was possible.
Photo by Gesal.
Take a Tour of Getting Results the Agile Way (Day 1 of 30 Days of Getting Results)