Honest Evaluations – How do you self assess as the year comes to a close and set yourself up to win in 2019?
Everyone analyzes goals and objectives compared to achievement and what caused the gap. In fact, its an integral part of the next years’ planning process. But, what I find is never included in an honest evaluation is revealing the behaviors that produced the results.
Stay with me here. Leaving behind the hard and fast tangible business goals and objectives, ask yourself, what did you FEEL you could have accomplished in these areas:
- how you want to show up as a leader?
- personal and/or professional relationships
- progress with a personal dream or challenge
- spirituality
- financial condition
- health
Contemplating these areas is an honest self-assessment, which then opens the WHY (behavior) and finally how to set yourself up to win for 2019. Read on, because this is ground-breaking new scientific information you have never heard before. And, it will work for you.
Step 1
Write out what you feel you could have accomplished compared to what happened in the areas listed above. Don’t worry, no one is looking or will judge you. Be honest.
Step 2
In the gap (the space between what you felt you could have accomplished and what you did), capture the WHY. This is specifically the behavior or pattern that caused the gap or shortfall.
Step 3
Understand your tendency* behavioral pattern and take a new approach. The ground-breaking science of tendency reveals how we carry out internal and external expectations. Internal are personal and external are professional (work). Knowing your tendency allows you to set yourself up to win like never before in the coming year.
The Tendencies (the information below is my interpretation on the scientific work presented)
- Obliger – Always carries out external expectations and puts them first, even at the sacrifice of internal. The majority of the population are obligers. And don’t take it out on me for the name, I didn’t come up with it, so remove whatever negative meaning you are attaching to it. Just take in the information so you can use it.
- Questioner – Carries out internal and external equally but needs enough proof data before taking action. These are the annoying people in meetings who ask, “Why are we doing it this way? Why are we doing it now? Why, Why, Why, Why?” And everyone rolls their eyes wondering why this person just doesn’t get with the program.
- Upholder – Prefers to carry out internal before external, but usually sees to it both are completed. If they are forced to choose between internal and external, will almost always carry out their internal expectations first.
- Rebel – Just like the name, these folks rebel again both internal and external. They will only carry out what they decide they want to, and even then, may have to trick themselves into it.
So, going back to the WHY you identified above. If your WHYs were you put other people or external expectations ahead of internal, you are an Obliger and need outside accountability to carry out your own. Again, don’t shoot the messenger, but this truly is the pathway to winning next year for you. External accountability can be other people doing what you are, mentors, coaches; basically, anybody who can truly hold you accountable and will not waiver.
If your WHYs were in essence needing more data before acting, you are a Questioner. The way to set yourself up to win next year is to identify fewer types of data and limit the amount before taking action. Outside accountability also helps with this.
If your WHYs were that you did well in all categories and feel you could have gone further, you are an Upholder. These are the typical over-achievers and always feel there is more and they can do better. And they are right! The key to doing better as an Upholder is to work on yourself rather than tasks. Tasks are easy for you to achieve, but the internal work on who you are, how you show up, relationships and spirituality are more elusive. They are also the keys to doing better. Try setting goals related to these areas and leverage your strength and carrying out these new internal expectations.
If your WHYs were that you changed your mind, just didn’t want to, or felt pressured to do them, you are a rebel. The way to set yourself up for success next year is to recognize your rebellious tendency in both internal and external ways and use the reverse to do it. This is the trick I referenced earlier. Literally, this is using reverse psychology on yourself. And before you laugh or dismiss it, try it. Tell yourself you will do something. Your immediate reaction is going to be the opposite, which is proof the tactic works.
Incorporate these as success tactics. When you self-assess using past behavior, it is a clear indication of what caused the gap. By re-calibrating your behavioral pattern, success in the coming year comes easily.
*Taken from the book, The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin