“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,” says a Chinese proverb. And the first step begins with a goal. Otherwise, without it, after some time we risk finding ourselves a thousand miles away from what we want. I know that talking about goals has already set the teeth on edge. And here’s the paradox: despite this, we continue to step on the same rake. Sometimes, having reached a goal, we are dissatisfied with it. It happens that the goal is achieved, everything is fine from the professional side, but somehow there is no special joy in the soul. It happens that there is a goal, but there is no motivation, no “fire”, and, continuing to want something, we never move. Sometimes we go in the other direction, “knocking the tops off”, wandering around and around, never getting to the point. Often we don’t know how, for example, to convey to employees our idea, the goal of the company, so that it becomes almost their own. Therefore, I believe that a conversation about goals is necessary, especially since in coaching, setting a goal is the very first and mandatory stage of working with a coach. And I suggest starting with an example from practice. The situation in the company: sales managers work more for show than for results. The HR director invited me to consult: what should I do? The reasons for the lethargy of managers are obvious: the material incentive system does not motivate high-quality work; there are no clear criteria for assessing work; the company has blurred areas of responsibility, and so on... There is no way to eliminate these reasons right now: the directorate refuses to review the payment system, clearly define responsibilities, outline the boundaries of responsibility, etc. But at the same time, the HR director is required to ensure that the “sales people” have sparkling eyes and produce consistently high results. Is this typical for our companies? Without a doubt. What to do? Conduct motivational training? Hardly. If managers are not stupid people, then they will quickly understand that management, as always, without changing anything or meeting halfway, wants to squeeze everything they can out of their subordinates. This could provoke even greater sabotage. Provide expert advice? And with whom - with leadership unwilling to meet halfway? Provide coaching? You can try that, which is what I did. The sales department has gathered. The first hour was spent talking about life: complaints about the company's management, salaries, a product that supposedly no one needs, uncompetitive prices - in general, the usual complaints of sellers. Everyone said the same thing: it is not profitable to work in this company with full dedication, we do not want to serve the ambitious goals of our directors, we are all here for the time being until we find a better place for ourselves. Well, how did the company still stay afloat with such a mood among the staff? I ask further: “Okay, today the situation in the company is as follows.” This is a given, and it is unlikely to change anytime soon. This is as much a given as, for example, rain outside, which you can hardly do anything about. Tell me, when external circumstances are not favorable, what helps you remain enthusiastic, cheerful and active? Someone answered: - When there is a strong personal interest, some personal goals, the achievement of which promises great profits (emotional, monetary, etc.). — I wonder what your personal goals are? Professionally, three years later, who are you and where are you? It turned out that the majority have very ambitious plans: to rise to leadership positions in three years andwork in large and reputable companies. In connection with which I had a question: - Nice, you have such goals, now, remembering the past week, tell us how these seven days advanced you towards your professional goals? Was the past week a step towards a cherished goal or is it unclear where? None of the managers could give an intelligible answer to this question. On this “optimistic note” we took a break. After the break we talked about a lot. About the fact that there is a habit, inertia. And if you work at half strength, you get used to it. After a while, you can get a job in the company you want, but the habit of working “for show” will definitely do a “disservice”. Besides, working this way does not allow you to grow professionally. At the same time, large and ambitious goals require professionalism from you, but where can you get it? Today in this company you are not satisfied with how your salaries are calculated. Tomorrow, in another company, how management treats their subordinates... So when should you develop a professional in yourself? Always. Every week, every day. In any company. Because in reality we do not serve the company's goals, but our own. We live for ourselves, not for the organizations we work for. Any organization, any leader are our steps towards achieving personal goals. And by working half-heartedly, sabotaging management’s calls to work with full dedication, we actually sabotage our personal goals and slow ourselves down. Yes, I may not be happy with my company, but something else is much more important to me: for example, the fact that I am a bad negotiator. And correcting this shortcoming is my immediate area of ​​work, and this is what I devote every day. I may not be paid enough, but I consistently show good results, because this is my contribution not to the company, but to myself, this is another step towards personal goals. The managers came to these conclusions themselves, and I, following the rules of coaching, only asked. Was this manipulation? No. My goals were open and voiced from the beginning: I am here because the company’s management is concerned about the low performance of your department, because sales volume needs to be increased. We also took the time to have everyone create a plan for themselves for the coming month—steps that move them toward achieving their personal goals. The managers' eyes lit up. From my own experience, I know that this enthusiasm is short-lived—about six months. Then someone will definitely leave the company, someone, if there is no support from the company, will go out. But I accomplished my goal - the sales department began to work better, and almost immediately sales jumped by one and a half times. I want to make a reservation right away: the example I gave is not a panacea and does not always work. Success depends on many things: on the professional level of managers, on the degree of their dissatisfaction with the company, on their determination... My task was to show you where a coach consultant always begins his work. Working with a coach begins with defining a goal - your goal. What do you want? Next comes a check to see how important this goal is to you. If a manager, having voiced his company’s plans for the year, answers my question: “What will happen if in a year you don’t achieve this?” - answers: “Yes, nothing special - we will continue to work as always, gradually move forward,” then there is only one conclusion - this goal is not “hot”, and therefore not working, you cannot focus on it, because it “does not warm” and there is no urgent need to achieve it. And, most likely, the company will not achieve itin a year. This pattern also applies to our personal goals. Take any of your goals and remember by what time you are going to achieve it. Then ask yourself: “What will happen if by this time I don’t get what I want?” What's your answer? After answering this question, I am sure you will understand why some of your goals were not achieved." One day, a young man approached Muhammad Ali and asked: “I also want to become a world champion. Where should I start?” Ali looked carefully at the young man, listened to his intonation, looked into his eyes, then silently led him to the pool and abruptly plunged him into the water, everyone present froze, not understanding what was happening. Yes, Ali had heroic strength, and the young man? - no, but there always comes a critical moment when such conventions cease to matter, and... the man escaped abruptly, he began to greedily gasp for air. When the “diver” caught his breath, Ali said: “You have to start with the power of desire... When you want.” become a champion just as you wanted to break free and swim now, then you will become one.” One of the goals of the first stage of working with a coach is to gain the power of your desire. The coach will ask: what do you really want, what is the urgent need to go in this direction? With the help of a coach, you will determine the reasons for the goal and its importance for you. As a rule, in half the cases after this analysis the goal changes and takes on more specific forms. So, one day a manager approached me with a request to suggest a couple of leadership techniques - otherwise his subordinates do not listen well, there is no discipline, there are many mistakes in the work... I ask him: - Let's say you are right, you are still a weak manager. Then, in your opinion, can anything else, besides management skills, help you get your staff to work the way you want? Are there any other management tools at your disposal? — Financial incentive system. - And how are things going with the staff incentive system? After a detailed analysis, the summary of the answer was this: - It doesn’t matter. She doesn’t support me as a leader, doesn’t give my subordinates direction and work criteria, and doesn’t slap me on the wrist for mistakes. — Will what you just said somehow affect the formulation of the goal? - Yes. Now I have two goals. The first is building an effective personnel incentive system. The second is improving yourself as a leader. - So. At the same time, from the outside it looks more like steps and tasks rather than a goal. Where are you going to go thanks to them? — To staff who work like clockwork: subordinates are manageable and have a clear idea of ​​the criteria for evaluating their work, of what they will be rewarded and fined for. At the same time, it is beneficial for them to work well in my company, and they want it. — Is this target warm? - Yes. This is what we work with, and not just with leadership techniques. Important comment: in this and other examples, the process of working with a coach is described with significant abbreviations - only the main stages and results are reflected. Why is there a radical change in the goal? Often the client's attention is too tightly focused on the idea-goal. A coach only helps you look at the goal from different angles, see the situation and yourself in it more fully. This makes it possible to make the best decisions. A businessman once approached me: “I’m tired of everything, I want to quit my business! Help me do this: preparefamily, partners, friends." Together we began to clarify the situation: where did this goal come from, what do you want to get in return, why did he decide to act in this particular way, and so on. Answering these questions, we came to the following: business is a difficult job, emotionally tense. You often want to share your experiences, fears, and doubts with someone, but it’s dangerous to accumulate them in yourself. But you can’t do this at work, is he a Leader there? Is it somehow not customary to talk about this in the family? Well, for some reason I still haven’t built such a relationship with my wife. He never revealed himself, didn’t trust him completely. Now, if she supported me, if everything with her and I were different, then it would be good.” I ask: “What do you want more: leave the business or build other relationships in the family?” “Still, other relationships in the family - I need a good rear," he answers with a twinkle in his eyes. After talking a little more, we settled on this goal (by the way, he could have chosen both). So, the goal should warm and inspire. There should be a clear understanding why you are going to “move from point A to point B”. You need to find the main thorn - what you are not happy with now, what you are going to leave. And also decide on the “carrot”: what lies ahead, what you will get, having achieved this goal, having solved your problem. Having fulfilled these two conditions (the presence of a “splinter” and a “carrot”), you will definitely receive the necessary amount of energy, determination and strength in order to move from place and start moving in the chosen direction. In practice. Most often, the result is a bias in one direction or the other. Someone acts only under the influence of a “thorn”: “Until the thunder strikes, the man will not cross himself.” Necessity has pushed its back against the wall - for example, the entire staff has fled - and only after that a person begins to do something, change, move somewhere. But! If you start moving only out of necessity, without a clear idea of ​​the “destination,” there is a big risk of never getting the desired state (it doesn’t matter whether we are talking about your personal life or business). If you are at the starting line, but still haven’t decided on the finish line, you will continue to run around like a squirrel in a wheel all your life, solving one problem after another, because you don’t know where you need to go. And it happens that there is a goal: clear, clearly stated and spoken many times. You have probably met people who repeat: “I will become, I will do, I will achieve, I will have..!”, but there are no deeds behind the words. Why is this so? They simply do not have a clear awareness of the need to change anything, they have no understanding of why the place where a person (or organization) is now is so uncomfortable. As a result, the benefits of today outweigh, and the person does not move anywhere. In the process of solving business problems, the coach will definitely “link” personal and professional goals. I described one example above: when working with a group, a coach will always devote part of his time to each team member’s search for personal interest in achieving the company’s goal, in the need to obey their leader. But there are other cases: When a large businessman seems to have achieved solid professional heights, but... he is overcome by depression, apathy, and he wants to give up everything and go to great lengths. Here a personal question arises: what have I achieved, why do I need all this - for me personally? When trainings and salaries no longer motivate top managers and other valuable specialists who have been working in the company for a long time and are happily awaited.