David Adrian Glanvill

Learning Unit 2: Confidence and Self Esteem Learning Unit Outcomes • • • • • 1 Define the concept of self confidence Explain how confidence affects one’s life and one’s working career Demonstrate and experience techniques of enhancing self confidence Demonstrate how life-wide courtesy can enhance self esteem Explain and use a tool to evaluate your self esteem Introduction Confidence (Self Confidence) and Self-esteem are two attributes that are closely associated with the topic of this module: Interpersonal Skills. They are also, you will find, the subject of a Multi Million Rand Industry based on selling “Self Development” in the form of Workshops, DVDs, and Books. and Adventure Camps. Adventure camps can be great fun and research has shown that they are moderately effective (Hans 2000I, and you can pick up some wonderful experiences such as learning to walk on hot coals (TRUE!), Rock Climb, Sail a 20-metre Yacht in a storm, and much more. The Books, DVDs, and Workshops are also good (well, some of them). Warning They are all potentially good, except for one problem. They only work if you are already Self- Confident, and have a High Self Esteem. The reason for this is one of the latest research topics in Psychology and Industrial Training overseas. See Topic 2. Focus of this Learning Unit If you look at the Unit Outcomes you will see that the focus is on Confidence and Self Esteem in the workplace, and the approach is to show what successful people do at work to be successful. The writer hopes that you will use what you can from these tips. If you have a problem It may be that you find working thorough this unit will help, but if you find that what you read and do makes you feel worse – TELL SOMEONE! There are Student Advisors at all Campuses; your Facilitator should also be able to help, because he or she was specifically chosen to present this module. You will also find a list of Telephone Numbers and organisations at the end of the last Topic. Topic 1 Self Confidence and Working Life 1.1 Definitions Self-esteem Self-esteem is a term used by psychologists when talking about a person’s opinion or appraisal of his or her own worth. In other words, how valuable a person believes he or she is. For example; you are offered a part-time job cleaning swimming pools, and the boss offers you R10.00 per hour. Your reaction? No! I am worth more than that! Self-esteem is based on beliefs, (for example, "I believe that I can do anything I want to do, or I always fail at anything good that I do” - competent-incompetent). Emotions also play a part, (for example, we may always feel proud of ourselves, or we may always feel bad about ourselves). Quite often, our behaviour shows our self-esteem; we may be shy or extrovert. We may be aggressive and domineering, or we may tend to be submissive. The scope of Self-esteem What is interesting is that Self-esteem can apply specifically to a particular behaviour or skill. For example an individual may believe that he or she is a good writer/dancer/speaker and feel proud of that in particular"). The same person may not feel the same about other skills or aspects of their life. On the other hand, some have what is called a global Self-esteem. They may, for example say, "I believe I am a good person, and feel proud of myself in general"). Self-confidence Self-confidence is a term used by psychologists when talking a person’s belief about their judgement, physical strength or skill, or ability to do something, and, or, overcome obstacles and challenges. Persons who lack self-confidence are often called timid. What is the difference? An opinion may be the result of a person's perspective, understanding, particular feelings, beliefs, and desires. In casual use, the term opinion may refer to unsubstantiated information, in contrast to knowledge and fact-based beliefs. Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. It is usually based upon previous experience and knowledge. So, Self-esteem is an opinion we hold about ourselves based on what we would like to be true. And Self-confidence refers to what we believe to be true about ours abilities. 1.1.1 Confidence and work life Before you go any further, go back to Unit 1 and read: “First Impressions really Matter” and “Voice Power” again. The central theme of learning Unit 1 is the business image you create in your customer’s mind, (remember a customer is anyone who depends on the work that you do). Lack of confidence In the article “Never lie to a Customer” which you will find in the recommended reading for this unit, you will see just how lack of confidence can damage your company and your reputation. The non-verbal behaviour of the flight attendant, and quite possibly the Pilot’s tone of voice both told the passengers/customers that the pilot was not telling the truth. Both behaved unprofessionally by breaking the confidence rule. But why did the Pilot lie? Mostly, people blame outside circumstances like the Pilot did when they lack the confidence to admit their mistakes (remember Locus of Control? this is an example of external behaviour). It may be that there was a valid technical reason for the failed Landing, so why did the Pilot not tell the passengers? If he was afraid that the truth about a technical problem with the aircraft or airfield would frighten the passengers, he forgot that provided he handled the crisis carefully, he would impress the passengers. Instead, he lied, because of a lack of confidence in potential at least, lost his company future customers. Why did the Flight Attendant look at a passenger and make the sign of the cross? He was looking to share his fear with someone else. This is one of the biggest mistakes that Flight Attendants can make. It can even be fatal. Properly trained, professional, Flight Attendants must never show fear, because if they do, they lose all ability to control their passengers in emergencies. Their role is not merely to serve food and drink, but to control the passengers. Professional Interpersonal Skills Persons who demonstrate good interpersonal skills in the work place always behave as confidently as they can. Even in situations where things go wrong, they do their best not to show fear, embarrassment, confusion, or anger. Possibly the best example of confident, good interpersonal skills can be seen when watching TV News Readers or the Weather Reporters. It is not often that their audience sees anything but a calm professional performance. People who are confident, at peace with themselves: • Are not perfectionists; perfectionists set themselves up for disappointment, because no one can ever be truly perfect. So each time he or she fails, makes a mistake, or spots something they do not like, they experience disappointment. Perfectionists or people who think that they should behave that way frequently annoy or upset others, and can become unpopular. • Display confident body language; they never adopt defensive positions (arms folded, crossed legs, avoid eye contact, and so on). Their stance and facial expression is always open. • Do not make excuses, or give reasons for their actions; If they make a mistake, such as dropping a glass, or knock something over, they apologise if that is the appropriate thing to do, and accept that no-one is perfect. It is not that they do not get embarrassed; it is that they do not become defensive when they are. • Accept criticism gracefully; they do not become aggressive or defensive (see above). They listen to the criticism, and if it is justified and constructive, they will accept it. • Do not avoid or deny problems, particularly personal ones; people lacking in confidence will deny the problem. For example when asked, “Why are you depressed?” They reply; “I never get depressed”. This is called compensation. We all compensate from time to time, but confident people usually face up to the problem. They accept their weak points, and build on their strengths. You will read more about this late in the last topic of this Learning Unit. • Smile. Confident people with good interpersonal skills always do their best to look open, and approachable. (Glanvill, 1980) The effects of confident behaviour The reading “Better Management by Perception” makes two important points that are relevant to this topic. Firstly, the signals we send by our body language, can be subtle, but tell a great deal about our mental state. In other words, we tell our customers how we are feeling by our behaviour. And secondly, these signals create expectations in our customers. They communicate these back to us via their body language (remember Clever Hans?), causing us to change our behaviour. Confident behaviour in the workplace creates positive expectations, and, in this way, positive behaviour. Customers and colleagues will prefer to work with someone who creates positive expectations. This liking in turn reinforces the positive and successful nature of both the working and personal life of the individual. To summarise: • Confidence and positive self-image are associated with good interpersonal skills, professionalism, and success in business. Also, persons with a positive self-image demonstrate this by means of their dress, behaviour, and working habits. • Professionalism and technical skill alone do not guarantee success in the real world, for most of us. It may be a good idea at this point to re read, “Projecting a Trustworthy Business Image” in learning Unit 1. You may find that your Lecturer/Facilitator may schedule a discussion or activity based upon these two points. Topic 2 Enhancing self-confidence 2.1 Basic Outline In the introduction to this learning unit, you read about the “Self Development Industry, and were warned to be cautious about some of the work associated with it. The simple explanation is: Programmes that focus on encouraging the participant (you) to avoid negative thoughts, repeat positive phrases such as: “I am a unique being, I am valuable and successful” and act positive at all times, can actually make people who have problems feel worse. The danger is that persons, who already lack self-confidence, compare themselves to the ideal model proposed by the programme, and become discouraged. There is not enough time in this module to go into any more detail. If you are interested, your Facilitator has a reference that you can look up. Successful programmes Other programmes and workshops take a somewhat different approach. They are based upon first encouraging participants to identify and accept their limitations. Schmeck (1997 p65) suggests that the individual must first “forgive” or be helped to accept and forgive the situation he or she perceives himself to be in, before any changes can be made. Although Schmeck was referring specifically to helping students overcome a lack of confidence about learning, the concept of acceptance and forgiveness is a theme in many attitude change programmes. 2.2 Enhance self confidence Look at the following quotation from “Six Keys to Self-confidence” in the recommended reading for this Learning Unit: “The Earl of Chatham, William Pitt, in 1766 said that "confidence is a plant of slow growth." Self-confidence cannot be attained easily or rapidly. It requires determination, a well thought-out plan, and a Partner to provide support, feedback, and encouragement”. Developing self-confidence is a learning process: As experience of a situation or situations increases, and supporting knowledge is gained, self-confidence increases. However, there is one qualifying consideration: Individuals, who have an external locus of control orientation, are not likely to want to develop self-confidence. This is why the more successful programmes and techniques focus on developing an external locus of control before going on to other activities. 2.2.1 Readings Three readings have been set for this Learning Unit: • Self Confidence for Leaders: The Author of this reading suggests a number of points to remember and apply. His message is that self-confidence is developed. Successful people are successful because they act successful. He goes on to list some simple strategies often used by successful leaders and businessmen. • How top sales associates find their motivation: This reading explains why successful sales persons are successful, it also outlines some guidelines that will help to develop and maintain a successful working life. • Six Keys to Self-Confidence: This reading describes six simple actions. But note that the instructions do not suggest that you should try to be perfect all at once. Be particularly careful with the last suggestion and do not let negative thoughts about failures depress you. Remember even the most self-confident people feel bad sometimes; they just do not let these bad times rule. These readings share some common themes with many other readings, books, and workshops: • Focus on Locus of Control; to summarise, the message is: “Accept that you can not control all that happens to you, but that you can control how you feel and behave”. • Self-confidence is a learned and developed characteristic; one should accept failure, learn from it, and move on. Persons who act self-confident, behave, and dress confidently, become confident. Some other useful hints are: • Smile when you meet people: This applies especially when meeting strangers and customers. But do not lie; your body language will give you away. If you are not feeling good, be honest, explain, and apologise. This will have much the same effect as an honest, happy smile. • Practice Rejection: Ask someone for a date, or invite a friend to see a movie when you know he is busy. These are both low risk situations. That way you will learn to handle rejection with grace. With time, you will see that rejection has to do with the offer -- not you. Also, rejection does not hurt when you. • Volunteer: Get involved with your community and figure out what your natural skills are. You will make a difference in someone else's life. This is perhaps the most powerful piece of advice, for a number of reasons. The scope of this Learning Unit and Module does not allow sufficient time to explain why. Accept that doing good for others unselfishly, has direct, and positive psychological benefits even for persons who have no religious beliefs. • Talk to Strangers: Initiate a conversation with someone you do not know. Focus on the person and find out what he or she does, likes and dislikes, and their hopes and fears. It will give you the practice you will need to do it confidently at work. 2.3 Measuring Self-Confidence You’ will come across many tests that claim to measure all sorts of aspects of your personality when you surf the net, or look at the Self-help section in most book stores. You can also find them in magazines and advertisements for workshops and get-rich-quick schemes. Some of these tests are there for fun, or used to sell their creator’s product. Most are useless but many are dangerous because of all, or some of the following: • They are not the products of rigorous Psychological testing and research • How they are applied and interpreted is not controlled • The tester does not give clear guidelines of what to do with the information. Or worse, the tester or salesperson is not properly qualified to give guidance. • They may only be testing a temporary mood • Some are designed with only a poor idea of what it is that they are supposed to be testing • Some are designed to sell a specific workshop or product • They cannot (or do not) take culture and the testing situation into account Qualified professionals only use tests that have been through rigorous Psychological Testing. They also do not only rely on a single test score, they may use a battery of tests, but they will most certainly interview the testee, and interpret or explain what the score means. If you feel you must measure your self-confidence, ask your lecturer for the URL for Rosenberg’s Self-esteem scale. This test, based on sound theory, has been rigorously tested. Many Psychologists also use the test when helping people. 3 Revision Exercise 1 Instructions This exercise will form part of your Module Assignment. You may discuss the work with other Students, or anyone else whose opinion and advice you value, provided you: • Only use the readings in this module, • Acknowledge the persons you have consulted by listing their names and contact details on the last page of the exercise. Do not copy from someone else, or use someone else’s work, that is dishonest, it will rob you of a valuable learning experience, and worst of all, YOU WILL ONLY BE LYING TO YOURSELF. BE CONFIDENT, AND DO YOUR OWN WORK. REMEMBER, A QUALIFICATION GAINED BY CHEATING MAY GET YOU A JOB, BUT ONLY COMPETENT, SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE WILL KEEP YOU IN JOB. IF YOU CHEAT, YOU DO NOT LEARN. Task 1. Use the notes and the recommended readings for Learning Units 1 and 2 to draw up a list of what you believe to be the six most effective actions that will help someone to increase their self-confidence. Warning; do not simply choose six actions at random. 2. In about 500 words, explain why you have chosen those actions. 3. Put a copy aside for inclusion in Module Assignment 1 Learning Unit 2: RECOMMENDED READINGS Never Lie to a Customer Do you handle call backs, go-backs, return calls or whatever your company calls them when you didn’t fix a job right the first time? Maybe it’s a product failure? Maybe it’s poor workmanship? Or maybe it’s technician error? How do you handle these situations? I had an unusual experience on a recent flight. We were coming in for the landing. The plane was dropping altitude fast. The pilot kept making abrupt throttle changes. I glanced out the window and discovered the plane was over the runway and we were still four stories above the ground. The landing gear was down. The flaps were down and we were set to land. Suddenly, the nose of the plane lifts, the engines roared to life and we climbed fast. This was a small plane with only 20 seats. Everyone in the plane had a full view of the flight attendant as he sat in the jump seat facing us. When we started climbing, the flight attendant looked out the window to verify we were climbing away from the airport. He turned toward us and made eye contact with me. A puzzled look was on his face. Just then, the flight attendant took a call on the phone next to him. It could only be the captain. After speaking with the pilot he bowed his head and gestured the sign of the cross. The captain then announced himself over the plane’s speaker system. He told us a plane was on the runway, and he doesn’t like to land a plane when one was already there. The flight attendant gave us his most convincing look as though he was in agreement with the pilot. I could tell from the chatter around me that passengers were not buying the captain’s excuse. The flight attendant’s sign of the cross confirmed it. Clearly the pilot botched the approach. Is this customer service? The pilot made a mistake and corrected it. Neither the airline nor the pilot charged any of the passengers for the bonus landing experience. What irritated the other passengers and me was when the pilot made an excuse instead of admitting his mistake. Rule No. 12 in Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” states, “Admit your mistakes, correct them and move on.” The pilot corrected his mistake but lied to us about what really happened. Let’s say you install a part that’s defective. It’s easy to explain to the customer that the part was bad and replace it. Or is it? What if the customer wants to know why you didn’t test the part before leaving the first time? There are no simple call backs. With every call back you run the risk of losing a customer. He most likely was upset when he first called you. Often he is more upset now because it wasn’t fixed the first time. Let me explain why it is so important to win back the customer’s confidence on a call back. Countless studies have shown that an unhappy customer is going to tell 10 of your prospects about his experience. If a friend of yours had a bad experience with Service Company A. When you need the same service, are you going to call Service Company A if your friend told you about his bad experience? Or are you going to call Service Company B, about whom you know nothing? To make matters worse, one of those prospects who was told about the bad experience will tell an additional 10 more prospects for a total of 20 tainted prospects. How many prospects can you afford to lose? Your job with every call back is to make the customer happy even if it means taking a loss. You should send the same technician, even if you have to send another tech with to perform the work or speak with the customer. Does this mean you should stretch the truth to make your company or yourself look better? No, absolutely Not! Always speak the truth, no matter how hard it is. If you make a mistake, admit it. Everyone makes mistakes. Once you admit it, take action to correct it and keep the customer for life. Does this mean that you may have to give a complete refund? Yes, you may have to. Fix the problem first, even if it means replacing more than the original job called for. Remember, you messed up, not the customer, now ‘confess and take action. Once everything works, check in with the customer. Is he still unhappy? If he is, then give him back the amount of money that he tells you will make him happy. Remember that you are not dealing with just one customer. At least 20 potential customers respect the advice from your problem customer. With the high cost of advertising, you can’t afford to let any customer leave your company. Never lie to your customer and keep the customers you have for a lifetime of service. Your customer base is one of your company’s greatest assets. BY STEVE SCHNEIDER Goldsmith, M: Self Confidence for Leaders You won't get to the top without it. To build your self-confidence, believe in yourself, don't worry about being perfect, and put up a brave front I was recently teaching in a seminar for MBA students at the University of California at Berkeley's Haas School of Business. A young second-year student seemed anxious to talk with me. He finally asked: "I have read your book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There. In the book you talk about classic challenges faced by your clients. I noticed that you never discuss self-confidence problems. How do you deal with your client's self-confidence problems?" This was a great question. It made me realize that I rarely encounter selfconfidence problems in my work with CEOs and potential CEOs. It is almost impossible to make it to the top level in a multibillion-dollar corporation if you do not believe in yourself. On the other hand, I am frequently asked to speak at business schools [in fact five this month], and I have noticed that students in my seminars often want to talk about it. I will share a few suggestions about how you can build your self-confidence, as it is a key quality that leaders must possess. I also hope you, my readers, will offer your own suggestions. — Don't worry about being perfect. There are never right or wrong answers to complex business decisions. The best that you can do as a leader is to gather all of the information that you can [in a timely manner], do a cost-benefit analysis of potential options, use your best judgment — and then go for it. — Learn to live with failure. Great salespeople are the ones who get rejected the most often. They just "ask for the order" more than the other salespeople. You are going to make mistakes. You are human. Learn from these mistakes and move on. — After you make the final decision — commit! Don't continually second-guess yourself. Great leaders communicate with a sense of belief in what they are doing and with positive expectations toward the achievement of their vision. — Show courage on the outside — even if you don't always feel it on the inside. Everyone is afraid sometime. If you are a leader, you direct reports will be reading your every expression. If you show a lack of courage, you will begin to damage your direct reports' self-confidence. — Find happiness and contentment is your work. Life is short. My extensive research indicates that we are all going to die anyway. Do your best. Follow your heart. When you win, celebrate. When you lose, just start over the next day. Perry D: How top sales associates find their motivation Overview: Retailers all want their sales associates to be successful, and may even say that on a daily basis. And while good companies do use a variety of strategies to motivate their sales associates, the best motivation is that which comes from within. Top sales associates motivate themselves, drawing on everything from their need for a pay check to the inherent joy of helping consumers get a better night's sleep. Challenges: Paying the rent: In the end, it is all about getting a paycheck and paying the bills. Top sales associates know that and realize their job is a means to an end. Yet many successful sales associates draw on other motivations as well, such as the satisfaction of doing a job well. Opportunities: Top sales associates build confidence in themselves by mastering the product lines they sell — and by knowing that they have the backing of the full resources of their company. When the retailer strives for success in all phases of its business, from the sales associates to the drivers who deliver the bedding, the sales associate can sell with confidence. What sales associates say: Look at your check book: "I motivate myself by balancing my check book each day and focusing on my goals for the future. I think that each customer is going to be the best customer ever." Look for self satisfaction: "For me, it's all about my monthly nut. I need to make good money and as a salesperson I feel that the best motivator is that pay check — and the satisfaction of realizing that you are doing well." Be confident in your product knowledge and selling skills: When a customer walks through my door, I give them a fresh start. I don't allow a bad experience with another customer or any personal issues I may have to bleed into my experience with a new customer. I find it very motivating just knowing that I have the best product available on the market and that I have the skills it takes to sell it to a new customer. Six Keys to Self-Confidence A young lady approached me after a recent customer service seminar and expressed a need to improve her self-confidence. She believed her career prospects were limited by her personal insecurity. Furthermore, she asked if the Partnering Process would work for her. As those of you who are regular readers of this publication know, Partnering can help any two people become more successful at whatever they want to do. The good thing is that she is aware she needs to improve and has the desire to improve. So I, of course, told her to use the process and focus her plan on these keys to enhancing self-confidence. Leave the past behind. Don't get hung-up on past failures and disappointments. Often people rehash past failures and predict they will fail again. The question everyone needs to answer is: What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail? A person cannot redo what they did yesterday; however, they can change what they will do tomorrow. Remember the wins. As people progress towards their personal improvement goals, they need to look at the little successes and celebrate them. Obstacles will impede progress, as they are overcome, they will encourage greater confidence. It's a good idea to keep a daily journal of accomplishments to visit when it feels like little progress has been achieved. It is experience, both good and bad, that builds confidence. Gain knowledge. One of the best ways to bolster confidence is to equip oneself with knowledge. The more knowledge acquired... the stronger the self-confidence. Learn more about the profession you have chosen, more about your company's products and services, more about the people that surround you, more about your customers, and more about people in general. Hang with the eagles. It's probably easier to soar like an eagle when surrounded by nothing but turkeys. However, if a person spends time with people that are more confident than they are, it is quite likely they will improve their own self-confidence. Like many folks, my scores on the golf course are better whenever I golf with players that are superior in skill. Maybe I concentrate more. Maybe I focus on my game more. Or maybe I just try harder. Go for the low hanging fruit. When building self-confidence, look for opportunities to succeed. In the planning process, set attainable short-term goals to help boost confidence. It is important to steer away from uncertainty. For example: a person that wishes to enhance their presentation skills and overcome their fear of speaking might want to do some oneon-one presentations before trusted friends. The second step might be to join Toastmasters or enrol in a Dale Carnegie class. After developing their skills, then they may ask if they could do more presentations before customers or leadership teams. Start each day off well. I will be the first to tell you this sounds a little ridiculous, but it works. Begin each day with positive affirmations about how confident you are becoming. And believe it! Literally look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that your self-confidence is improving. These positive declarations will reinforce the other actions you have taken to enhance your self-confidence. The Earl of Chatham, William Pitt, in 1766 said that "confidence is a plant of slow growth." Self-confidence cannot be attained easily or rapidly. It requires determination, a well thought-out plan, and a Partner to provide support, feedback, and encouragement. Terry Wisner, the "Partnering Pro," International Speaker, Consultant, and author, shares his experience and knowledge through energetic, entertaining, and enlightening presentations and seminars. Do you want to experience improvement in; Customer Service, Teamwork, Leadership Skills, Communication Skills, or simply Self-Improvement? Then, visit Terry at http://www.terrywisner.com or http://www.p2s.us and learn more about Partnering and how it can help you and your organization succeed. Learning Unit 3: Goal Setting Learning Unit Outcomes 2 Introduction Once upon a time in the land of Fuzz, King Aling called his cousin Ding and commanded him to; “Go out into all of Fuzzland and find the goodest of men, whom I shall reward for his goodness”. “But”, asked Ding, how shall I know one when I see one?” “Why, he will be sincere,” shouted the king, and whacked off one of Ding’s legs for being impertinent (Dings have four legs) After several attempts a now one-legged Ding arrived with someone who was sincere, dedicated, and had an empathetic understanding of his self-actualising potential. “Why, this man will not do at all,” roared the king. “He is much too thin to suit me!” He then whacked Ding’s last leg off. The moral of this fable is that ...if you cannot tell one when you see one, you may wind up without a leg to stand on. Extracted from the preface to Mager, R F (1984). This extract from the Mager’s book Goal Analysis, contains two important learnings that are directly related to successfully mastering this learning Unit. The first is about the importance of having goals, and the second is about being clear about what your goals are. 3 Topic 1 How Goal setting is used in business 3.1 Goals and Objectives Definition If you look up the nouns “goal” and “objective” in a dictionary, you will see that the two words are very close in meaning. However, for the purpose of this module and specifically this Learning Unit, the term “goal” will mean a long-term outcome or result. And the term “objective” will mean the outcome or result of an intermediate step towards a final goal. See Diagram 1 below: BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SA OLYMPIC TEAM GOAL BECOME PROVINCIAL CHAMPION BE SELECTED FOR THE PROVINCIAL SIDE INTERMEDIATE STEPS JOIN THE SCHOOL ATHLETIC TEAM Diagram1: Relationship between Goals and Objectives This diagram shows three (of a number of objectives) that the athlete must achieve if to reach the goal of selection for the SA Olympic Team. The point is that until the athlete and his or her coach draw up a plan and follow it, the goal will remain a dream. Goals versus Objectives Goals Goals are general statements of intent - what the individual wishes to achieve in the long-term. Because of this, they are not very specific. For example, a school leaver may say: “I am going to own my own business by the time I am Thirty”. Note that there are no details apart from a reasonably vague “by the time”. Objectives To be of any use at all, objectives must be as specific as possible. The same school leaver may set a series of objectives to be reached as part of the plan to own a business. For example: “While I am studying a business diploma, I will get a part time job in a Hardware store. Within three months I will have learnt how the owner controls his stock. In six months I will be responsible for the management of the other part-time employees.” Note that the statements describe a specific result or outcome, and that time limits are set. S.M.A.R.T Objectives If you use the acronym S.M.A.R.T when setting personal or business objectives, you will find that the objectives are useful, and the plan that they form part of, is effective. Re-read, “Visualisation works in reaching business goals. Note that this author uses the word goal when writing about what we call an objective. This should not be a problem for you, if you remember that for the purposes of this module, goals refer to long-term statements about what one intends to do or accomplish. The “M” in the acronym does not only stand for measureable, although this is important. It also stands for “MEANINGFUL”. Objectives must have value and meaning for the individual, otherwise they have no motivating potential. The section on Motivation below, stresses that motivation comes from within. The motivated individual is one who sees a link between achieving an objective, and a desirable outcome or result. It could be a feeling of accomplishment, a new skill, or almost anything that that Individual finds necessary and attractive. 3.1.1 Business Objectives All businesses exist for a purpose: to make a profit by using their resources. To do this the business expresses the purpose as an objective: “To make and sell shoes; to provide financial advice, and insurance products” and so on. In simple terms, objectives provide a focus for the business’s efforts. Organisations consist of a mixture of people. They all perform various specialised functions that are in theory coordinated towards achieving the final goal. The danger though is that performing these specialised functions often leads to rigidity and inward focus, where performing the function becomes more important than the success of the business. This can lead to a situation where the efforts of the members of the business become unproductive, and can destroy the company. The following extract from a report to a Board of Management will explain: “Senior management of BOLERO ENGINEERING is aware that the company is losing market share to their competition. But they are unable to accept that they must rationalise their manufacturing processes. Budgetary restraints, lack of cash flow, and the fact that the methods used have been successful in the past are offered as reasons for not making changes. Despite efforts made by the Production and Operations Managers to persuade the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, they refuse to consider rationalisation and re-training of employees.” (Glanvill Consulting 2009, names changed to preserve confidentiality) The senior managers of this company and some of the senior staff including the Financial Director allowed habit to take the place of expertise. They did this by confusing activity with progress. This means that they believed that as long as they worked harder doing more of what they had always done the business would survive. They resisted change out of a fear that they would lose control. As a result, they (unconsciously) set stability and preserving the status quo as their primary objective. The result was that the business closed down because it was no longer profitable. 3.1.2 Performance Management Successful organisations prevent the situation described in the previous section by measuring the progress towards the Organisation’s goals, by actively managing and changing the intermediate objectives. See Figure 2 below: ORGANISATION’S GOALS FUNCTIONAL OBJECTIVES DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES TEAM OBJECTIVES INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE Figure 2: The Performance Management Process This figure shows that the Organisation’s goals are broken down into objectives for each organisational function (Production, Sales, Finance etcetera). These are then broken down into Departmental, Team, and Individual performance objectives. The following rules apply: • Individual Objectives must contribute to achieving Team Objectives and so on • Intermediate Objectives must be expressed in directly measureable terms • Performance and progress must be reviewed regularly (usually monthly) • The purpose of these reviews is to identify and remove obstacles to progress – they are problem solving reviews • The review of the Organisation’s progress towards the goals set must be an on-going process, and necessary changes must, without delay filter down to the individual level, as shown by the double-headed arrows. Performance Management is a simple concept, but it is extremely complex to implement in an organisation. Whole books have been written on the subject, but if you are interested, a good description of the process can be found in: Nel PS, Werner A, Haasbroek G D, Poisat P, Sono T, and Schultz H B: Human Resources Management 7th ed. P 491 – 509. 3.2 Personal and Career Goals 3.2.1 Motivation Definition Motivation is used to describe an inner feeling or need that energises the individual to perform some action that is intended to satisfy that feeling or need. See figure 3 below: SELF ACTUALISATION ACTUALISED SELF-ESTEEM NEEDS AFFILIATION NEEDS SURVIVAL SECURITY NEEDS PHYSICAL NEEDS Figure 3 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow first proposed this hierarchy of needs when seeking to define the concept of personality. Since then, it has been frequently used in texts written about Motivation. It is an incredibly useful approach, but for the purposes of this Learning Unit, only the following points are relevant: • Needs come from within the individual • Only the individual’s personal actions can satisfy the higher order needs (the possibility that the individual is locked away from any opportunity to do this, is excluded) • The needs exist in a hierarchy, ranging from basic physical needs such as food, shelter, and sex, to higher order needs such as becoming an Olympic Champion, summiting a Mountain and so on. • Individuals can choose to delay satisfying lower order needs so that higher order needs can be satisfied. This explains why Mountaineers can get to the top of K2 or Everest, despite the extreme danger, cold, hunger, and discomfort. • All human behaviour is driven (motivated) by some inner need. Even the most psychologically disturbed behaviour is driven by inner needs. But for the purpose of this module, only behaviour that originates from a conscious decision can be called goal directed. You will also notice that the needs below the dotted line in Figure 3 can be called survival needs, because they represent the basics needed for survival. The needs above the dotted line are termed actualised needs. These needs are associated with Goal Directed behaviour. 3.2.2 Goal Directed people What distinguishes goal directed behaviour is • • • this behaviour is the product of a deliberate decision goal directed behaviour is the product of deliberate choice there are specific behaviours and attitudes common to all goal directed behaviour, and these can all be learned: “The self-directed person seems to gain his self-control by construing his world in such a way that the opportunities of the future (stated as goals) become more important determinants of his action than events of the past.” (Kolb et al 1970). Focus on future success Research has revealed that truly successful, self-directed people prepare for success by: • regarding the present as a stepping stone to the future • setting achievable goals, • keeping focused on these goals, • measure their progress towards these goals, • adjust their present behaviour to promote their progress towards these goals. • not accepting failure as final, they regard failure as a learning point. Prepare for success In the reading: “Visualisation works in reaching Business Goals” you will see that world class athletes arrive at the start line of a race or event already at their peak performance. When a runner sets a new world or Olympic record, it is not by accident. The preparation for the event can start as much as two years or more before the actual day of the race. This preparation is carefully planned, intermediate check points or benchmarks are set, and the plan is closely followed. Learn from failure The other significant point is that these people do not regard failure as final or a catastrophe. In stead, they examine what happened, decide how they will overcome the cause of the failure, and then adjust their behaviour. A good example of this is the February 2010 One Day Cricket series between India and South Africa. While it is true that South Africa lost the series, it is significant that although the South Africans were comprehensively beaten in the second of a three match series, they won the third match by 90 runs. They did this by analysing their faults and revising their approach to the third match. This meant changing the team and their bowling and batting strategy. 3.2.3 Setting and Implementing Goals 3.2.3.1 Benefit analysis Individuals who set personal and career goals are careful to separate dreams from what is specifically important to them. They closely examine their present situation, identify what they do and do not want (in other words their needs), and then begin the decision making process. • Self-directed behaviour While they may listen to the advice of others, effective goal setters make their own decisions. They operate from an Internal Locus of Control. • Cost versus benefit The decision making process is based on weighing up the expected benefits of achieving the goal against two main classes of factors. These are the perceived effort required, and the perceived likelihood of success. One outcome of this process is the identification of potential obstacles, or practical considerations. 3.2.3.2 Approach to obstacles There are two classes of obstacles: Objective or practical considerations These could be, a lack of financial or other resources, lack of qualifications, and so on. The individual will set these as intermediate objectives which form the steps in an action plan aimed at achieving the ultimate goal. Subjective obstacles These are comprised of the negative beliefs that the individual holds about themselves, and/or their environment. What is important about these beliefs is that they are: • the product of what the individual has been told • are not based on fact Their impact on the individual is profound; as they contribute to a negative self-image, see the diagram below: Messages from past and present FEEDBACK Negative beliefs formed by input from others Perception and opinion expressed by behaviour of others Operation of Self-fulfilling Prophesy Perception and opinion formed Negative Self-image Creates negative Body Language & EXPECTATIONS Displayed by dress, behaviour, communication Seen by others Figure 4: Simplified representation of the impact of negative self-image Figure 4 is a simplification of the interaction between negative thoughts and self-image and the behaviour of the individual. What is important to note that these negative thoughts and expectations affect behaviour and appearance. These in turn, create negative perceptions in others, who communicate these negative perceptions via their overt and non-verbal behaviour back to the individual. These negative behaviours reinforce the individual’s poor opinion. Strategies to overcome these are outlined in the work associated with Learning Unit 2, and in the reading: Overcome Negative Self Talk with Encouragement. 3.2.3.3 Implementing Goals Case Study Brendan P was referred for counselling by his special needs school at the beginning of Grade 11 because he was on the verge of being expelled. He had been diagnosed as ADD and took Ritalin from the age of four until the age of 15. He was also mildly dyslexic. At a preliminary interview, Brendan stated that he felt stupid, and did not believe that he would be able to pass Grade 11. Systematic interviewing revealed that he had an above average grasp of the technical aspects of Surfing and Life Saving. He was able to speak intelligently about weather and wind patterns, and sea conditions. He also spoke with authority about the design of surfboards, competition rules, and other aspects of surfing. His interest and knowledge exceeded that of his peers. An examination of his reading habits revealed that although he stated that he “hated reading” and was rated a poor reader at school, he in fact, read widely about surfing. Treatment 1. The above average knowledge about surfing was used to get him to identify the falseness of his belief that he “could not learn”. 2. He was then helped to identify his limitations (obstacles to success) and classify them as either subjective (belief based) or objective (poor marks, bad reputation, etc). 3. Brendan then learnt how to set goals, and break the plans to achieve these goals into achievable steps with intermediate objectives. 4. He was also coached in Visualisation Techniques, to help himself overcome the belief- based obstacles. At this stage counselling stopped as the counsellor felt that Brendan was now selfreliant. A follow up session at the end of Grade 12 revealed that Brendan had become Head Boy and Dux of the school. He had also won a Bursary to study Technical Drawing and Computer Aided Design. From: Glanvill D A, Glanvill L M Unpublished case report. Commentary Read “Visualisation works in reaching Business Goals”. The process followed when counselling Brendan P (Name changed for confidentiality reasons) consisted of the steps Brendan was helped to formulate goals for each of the steps outlined. He did not proceed to the next step before he had accomplished the goals set. His goals for the first step “Self-knowledge” were (in his words), Step 1. “Write down the things that I am good at. Write down the things I like doing. Write down the things I am bad at. Write down the things I do not like doing.” Step 2. “Write down why I am good at some things. Why I like some things. Why I am bad at some things. Why I do not like some things” This process was followed for each subsequent step. Self-knowledge Brendan was helped to accept his situation, identify his strong and weak points, and recognise that he could exert control over his own life. Beliefs about Obstacles He learnt to distinguish between subjective and objective obstacles. He also came to realise that his attitude to some school subjects was the obstacle not the subject. He developed at strategy to cope with these subjects; he came to regard them as “things I must master if I want to succeed”. Planning skills He learned to break obstacles down into achievable steps “increase my maths mark by 5% each test”. Visualisation skills He was coached to visualise himself overcoming obstacles and increasing his marks. 3.2.3.4 Conclusion It is possible to live without specifically expressed goals and plans to achieve those goals. However, persons who live in this way are not ever likely to realise their full potential. In business, such people are not likely to rise to any position of authority, or be very successful. Goal directed people are more likely to be seen as keen, professional, and will be more successful at what they do in business and their private lives” Reading task See the reading “How top sales associates find their motivation” in Learning Unit 2. Note that these top salespersons keep themselves motivated by setting achievable goals, and regularly measuring their progress. They also do not let a recent lack of success hold them back. 4 Revision exercise Instructions This exercise will form part of your Module Assignment. You may discuss the work with other Students, or anyone else whose opinion and advice you value, provided you: • You may use the readings in this module as well as any other readings you may find, • Acknowledge the persons you have consulted by listing their names and contact details on the last page of the exercise. Do not copy from someone else, or use someone else’s work, that is dishonest, it will rob you of a valuable learning experience, and worst of all, YOU WILL ONLY BE LYING TO YOURSELF. BE CONFIDENT, AND DO YOUR OWN WORK. Be warned, there is software available that can detect Plagiarised or copied work. REMEMBER, A QUALIFICATION GAINED BY CHEATING MAY GET YOU A JOB, BUT ONLY COMPETENT, SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE WILL KEEP YOU IN JOB. IF YOU CHEAT, YOU DO NOT LEARN. Task 1. Use the list of actions that you selected for the Learning Unit 2 revision exercise to draw up an action plan, using the format given. Do not skip a heading, and use the tips. You may change the list of actions if you find that the original list does not fit together. If you do this, write a short explanation of why you think the change is necessary. You will not be penalised for doing this. You will find it useful to re-read your summaries of the readings for Learning Unit 2 especially “How top sales associates find their motivation”. Note that the Salesmen mentioned in this article, find motivation by setting themselves challenges. This means that when they meet the challenge, they feel good about themselves. FORMAT GOAL Develop a statement of intent for the action plan, giving a reason for the individual wanting to achieve this goal. It may be as specific as you choose to make it, but remember that Goals are statements of intent, and do not necessarily have to include all the S.M.A.R.T. points. But be sure to describe the MEANING (See Section 2.1). OBJECTIVES Each of the steps you have chosen should form a part of the action plan, and each must have its own objective. Break the objective statements down under each of the headings listed. Specific Be as specific as you can, do not use vague terms such as understand or appreciate. Terms such as these cannot be easily seen (or measured). Rather use active words such as; list, demonstrate, or write. The statement does not have to be more than one sentence long. Measureable and Meaning Measurement Describe how the individual will be able to know how well he or she is doing, and when the objective has been reached. Use numbers where it is possible to do so, but whatever measurement is used, it should be visible to others as well as the individual. The whole point about objectives is that they give the individual a target to aim for. Meaning Give a clear explanation of why this particular objective is important from the individual’s perspective. It may be theoretically important according to some researched information, but unless it is important to the individual, the objective is meaningless (See “How top sales associates find their motivation”). Achievable Do not set unrealistic, impossible targets. For example, a student may want to improve his or her marks. But if the target is to improve by say forty percent in the next test, they are not likely to succeed. And, when they fail to improve, they may well become discouraged. On the other hand, a target improvement of say, ten percent is possible. Again, note how the Top Salesmen in the reading “How top salesmen find their motivation” set targets that they are sure they can achieve. Related Obviously, the objective must relate to the ultimate goal that you have described. For example, Joe’s goal is to run his first Comrade’s Marathon in about eight and a half hours. A related short-term objective would be to build his endurance so that he runs his first 20 Km road run in five hours. Time or Time Based Using Joe as an example, he could set a time of say three months by which time he should be ready for his first official road run. During these three months he would be following a specific exercise and running programme. Unless an objective has specific measureable outcomes that are time based, the individual has no way of measuring progress.