Tags
better productivity, coaching your employees, creating a five year plan, executive coaching, facilitating a meeting, Goal setting, leading a productive team, Leading meetings, life purpose, management tools, Managint your team, Mary Lee Gannon, Pittsburgh, starting over, strategtic planning, your life plan
365 Ways to Get Results: Day #50: Create Your Triple Five Report Friday for a Killer Next Week
In my career I have repeatedly watched people either not set weekly goals or set their goals for the week on Monday morning. How dreaded is that? Who wants to come to work after a long relaxing weekend and start the day by having to figure out what to focus on for the week. I say set your goals for the next week on Friday when you have the benefit of what is and is not working on top of mind by using a simple three part report: The Triple Five Report.
Managers that have trained under me have their employees fill out this report every Friday, keep a copy and submit a copy to them before they leave for the week. I’ll give you some practical applications of that after I explain the report.
The Triple Five Report
Who is to do it: You. On you. (And your employees on themselves.)
When to do it: Every Friday afternoon. (Saturday or Sunday if you work weekends.)
Where to do it: At your desk.
How to do it: Have blank copies of the “Triple Five Report” form in a file nearby so that you may simply pull one out and hand write it before you stop working for the week.
Why do it: Because when you return to work the next week you will know right where to start without looking back at last week.
What to do:
1. Create your “Triple Five Report” form in a simple Word document. At the top of the page type: “Triple Five Report” under which you will create a line entitled “Name” and one entitled “Date.” Then on the rest of the page create a three row/one column chart where each row covers a third of the page. You will type the following statements at the top of each section. If you don’t want to create a chart, then just type the first statement below at the top of the page followed by the second a third of the way down and the last a third of the way from the bottom.
1. What were your five greatest accomplishments this week? Did you meet your goals from last week?
2. What were your five greatest frustrations?
3. What are the five goals you plan to accomplish next week?
2. Three-hole-punch the forms. Keep the uncompleted forms in a folder and the completed forms in a binder.
3. Hand write your answers to these three questions every Friday afternoon before you stop working. Keep them organized in sequence.
Managers, while this report is an opportunity for you to coach people on setting good goals, it is also your job to help people with step two of this report – their frustrations. If the specifics of the frustration is out of their hands and cannot be avoided, coach them to apply their strengths to be able change what they can control and to identify what may be eliminated from their to-do list. Help them prioritize their work in alignment with what is important to them and the organization. Be sure to send clear messages that will help them understand what is a priority and what is not. Then listen while they identify the path they will devise to get to your agreed upon destination.
When You Are in a Slump
When you are “stuck” or in a slump take a look at the binder that holds your reports and reflect on the goals you have been setting. Are they too formulaic and weak? Can they be farther reaching? Are you procrastinating? Reflect on your STRENGTHS and your VALUES which you have determined from other worksheets on my Web site. How would you apply your strengths to call you to a higher standard? Are your goals in alignment with your values?
I have used this Triple Five Report with my staff across a number of organizations. It truly helps them understand better what is important and what is not. It allows me to coach them to become the leaders they want to be while also eliminating useless work from their plates. And it keeps us all on the same page regarding the direction of the organization. I use it for myself to help keep me on target. As leaders we sometimes think we don’t need such discipline. Nonsense. Try it for a couple of weeks and see what new things you accomplish. Start now!
Email this link to a friend.
Follow Mary Lee Gannon on Facebook, LinkedIn or on Twitter.
Get Mary Lee’s tips on “Strengths – Free Tools to Help You Define Your Strengths” on her Articles and Tip Sheets page.
Mary Lee Gannon is the president of StartingOverNow.com – Leading Productivity Solutions for People and Organizations. Mary Lee is a graduate of The Duquesne University Professional Coaching Program and an alumnus of the 2010 Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital Coaching in Medicine & Leadership Conference. Her personal turnaround came as a stay-at-home mother, with four children under seven-years-old, who endured a divorce that took she and the children from the country club life to public assistance from where within a short time she worked to the level of CEO. Services include: Workshops, Meeting Facilitation, Coaching, Webinars, Speaking and Management Consulting. Areas of Specialty: Strategic Planning / Board Development / Healthcare / Public Relations / Goal Setting / Meeting Facilitation / Acountability / Leadership / Time Management / Life/Career Transition. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules for When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores or at Amazon. Get her FREE ebook – “Grow Productivity – A Leader’s Toolbox” on her web site at www.StartingOverNow.com.
