A PERSONAL DASHBOARD: VISUALISE THE TARGETS HELPS TO GET THEM

Let´s  do  our  Personal and Professional Dashboard for the next year.  

A) When is the best moment to do this exercise?

It is November, because the year is very close to be finished and  it is easier to take in consideration what we did, what we did not and  what we want to get. Using all this information,  it is easier to  plan all our targets for next year and our  actions to get the targets.

B) Steps to do the Dashboard:

1. BRAINSTORMING 

Sit-down and write all you want to get or do next year. Take all the ideas coming to your brain.  At the start, do not eliminate any option.

2. ORGANISE THE TARGETS AND ACTIVITIES BY GROUPS. WORK, LIFE, SPORT, MONEY,... 

When you have all the targets  and actions, organize them by groups. Example: to do a specific training at work or use more time to improve the way to do presentations it is part of the same group: work.

3. REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TARGETS AND GROUPS, BUT BE AMBITIOUS 

They should not be more than 6 groups and if possible, 1 target per group. If not, the risk of dispersion  and not getting the targets is very big. There is as well a risk of selecting a lot of targets, but not very ambitious targets, because you think that the desired targets  are very difficult, then to compensate, you are selecting many targets. At this stage, you can realize that some activities are similar or serve  to  get the same target or that you do not have the time to do both activities or get several targets. Be efficient, but ambitious. You do not want to keep yourself busy, you want  to realize at the end of the year that you progressed dramatically.

4.  SET A  KPI FOR EACH TARGET / GROUP AND THIS IS YOUR KEY TARGET 

The KPI could be of two kinds:

 4. 1. A KPI  linked to the activity that will make possible the target . For example, to be successful at work and  at life, you need to have lots of energy. A way to be more energetic  is having better breakfasts or do more exercise. To have  more breakfast you    need to wake up early, then  the KPI could be the time waking up OR  if you want to run several times per week, the KPI could be  the number of times. Other example,  if you  want to improve  your network, the target could be the number of lunch per week with new people.

 4. 2. A KPI linked to the own target . When you have more energy,  you have  usually the right weight, then  the KPI could be the desired weight. If you want a promotion, the target could be your desired position or your desired salary level . I prefer this kind of KPI, because there is more  link between the target and the KPI and   if the activity is not getting the result, you can  always change the activity easily.

5. REPRESENT THE  DASHBOARD TO  MAKE EASIER TO VISUALISE THE TARGETS  

A number or a drawing, for example. If you want to do hiking, a drawing of a mountain should be perfect or if you want to get a weight, the number in capital letters!!.  If you represent in this way the target, it is easier to visualize the objective, and then it will be easier to meet it.  

6. PUT THE DASHBOARD IN A  PLACE WHERE YOU SEE IT EASILY 

For example,  in the fridge with magnetos. If you see it all day and your family, colleagues  and friends know them, it is more difficult to resist from  getting the targets and everybody is an allied to get the targets.

7. FOLLOW THE TARGETS RESULTS. 

If you are not getting the desired  results,  reanalyze if it is necessary to do an additional activity or change the activity that will make sure  to get the targets. Please do not abandon your objective unless there is a good reason.  And when the year ends,  use all the experience gained  to fix the targets for the next year. 

Now it is your turn to see if it works or not for you.  This Personal Dashboard will help you:

a) To know exactly what you want 

b) Keep more focused to get your targets. 

Remember!: " No wind is good for the sailor that  does not know where he goes"