Lately I’ve been thinking frequently about the next year.

I have lots of ideas, thoughts, dreams, plans, etc. But how am I going to get it all done and still find time for family, rest, spiritual development.

Here are the steps I’m taking to create my personal strategic plan for next year:

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1) List Out Your Goals and Dreams

I keep tons of goals, dreams, and ideas in my head. Get them out of your head and onto a list. Once you can see them, you can prioritize, delete, rewrite, and visualize them.

Tip: Set aside at least two time blocks for this. Take 30 minutes the first time and then come back to it after a few days. This gives your mind a chance to remember what it forgot.

2) Speak to Those Who Can Help You

Rarely can anyone do everything alone. If you are strategic, people will love helping you.

Tip: Building a team amplifies the possibilities, introduces access to new resources, and provides new perspectives. Don’t rule anyone out. The people you rule out are often people who see things in different ways than you ever would.

3) Set Measurable Celebration Dates

I hate endless work and no rewards. When you setup periodic celebration dates, you’ll work towards them and measure your progress better.

Tip: Set at least four per goal (one per quarter). This helps you to spread out the work, more regularly see your progress, and gives you a chance to evaluate feasibility. (For gosh sake though: celebrate your accomplishments).

4) Pursue Integration

Multiple projects often lead to a scattered mind and under-performance. Ask yourself: how can I integrate my various goals so that each one fosters progress in the other.

Tip: Sharing your goals with key people in various arenas of your life (ie family, work, friends) fosters awareness and support. The last thing an executive needs is a family that doesn’t understand why he works so hard (ie to provide for the family) or a boss who doesn’t understand why he left early from work (ie to be at his son’s athletic event so his family doesn’t feel left out while he’s gone on his upcoming trip).

5) Get An Adviser or Coach

Everyone has blind spots. Get someone to review your written plan and provide feedback for you.

What steps do you plan to take to make the next year a success? How do you come up with your strategic plan?

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Body language always matters (just ask your spouse or boss). What are you doing to ensure your body language supports your cause?

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One component of Executive Coaching is the coach’s use of body language to build rapport, trust, and show interest in the client (Thanks for Mauricio Serratto for pointing this out to me tonight).

These four tips for better body language should help you in every relationship:

1) Maintain Eye Contact

Nothing shows interest better than eye contact. However, eye contact is uncomfortable.

Tip: Look at the person’s eyebrows. This will make you feel less awkward and the other person will have no idea you aren’t actually looking into their eyes.

2) Turn Your Body Towards a Person

If you are really interested in something, you not only listen but your actual body is pointing in the direction of it.

Tip: When crossing your legs, make sure the foot of the leg on top is pointing towards the other person and not away from them.

3) Watch Your Arms

Watch your arms for one day and think about what you are communicating. Folded arms or hands in your pockets tell people you are uninterested.

Tip: Keep your arms unfolded/uncrossed and your hands open. You are sending a message that you are a safe place for a person to share and you are open to hearing what they have to say.

4) Avoid Distractions

What do cell phones, clocks, watches, tablets, and other devices all have in common? When meeting with someone, they all can easily turn into a distraction for you and send the wrong signal to the other person (ie you don’t care about what they are saying, you are too busy for them).

Tip: Turn your cell phone ringer off, don’t look at your watch, and keep your attention 100% focused on the other person. Try this for one day and you’ll see how difficult this is and how beneficial it can be for your relationships or coaching clients.

What other tips do you have? Which of these do you need to utilize first?

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I’ve never met Steve Jobs. But I believe you should be more interested in Ken Jacobs than Steve Jobs. Here’s why:

1) Ken was known for his gentleness

People often try to intimidate others with their size, position, or money. This would have been easy for Ken.

Ken was a gentle giant. He showed his leadership through his example.

2) Ken loved his wife

Real men don’t cheat. Real men serve, love, and care for their wife.

Would people write a blog post about your love for your spouse if you died today? (Ken admittedly had an advantage…as they say, behind every remarkable man is an outstanding woman. In his case, he was blessed to have Karen).

3) Ken’s generosity smacked you in the face

Ken wasn’t know for his accumulation of possessions, his creativity in design, or powerful presentations. He was known as a generous man.

Three months before his death, while visiting Uruguay, Ken noticed that I needed a new pair of dress shoes. He walked back into his bedroom and proceeded to give me his only pair of dress shoes.

Would people say about you?: “He/She literally gave me the shoes off his feet.”

4) Ken lived out his beliefs

Christians are frequently accused of being hypocrites (oftentimes rightly so)…for saying one thing and living another way.

Ken overturned the stereotype. Although he was never perfect, he was very consistent in word and in deed. In what ways are your actions/words incongruent with your beliefs? What changes do you need to make?

As I’ve grieved this past week, I’ve asked myself, “What can I learn from Ken Jacobs?” These four things motivate me to ask more regularly, “What can I learn from my friends?”

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Accountability sounds strict, overbearing, mean, and militaristic. However, it helps and is needed. Be honest, it’s hard to get things done in a vacuum.

Accountability tools give you impetus to take action in your life. Aimless living lacks strategy, direction, and responsibility.

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Take a glance at a few different Accountability Tools essential to coaching (and life in general):

1) Action Plans

If someone asked you what you planned to do this week, what would you say? If you don’t have a plan, try creating one. Then use tool #2.

2) Share Your Plans or Goals with a Friend

It’s tough to exercise alone on a regular basis. Tell someone about your goals.

I encourage my clients to share their goals, to share their action plans, and to enlist others to help them.

3) Monthly Action Planner

Many people have never planned an entire month out in advance. Imagine how different your life would be if you accomplished everything this month that you would like to.

I work with my clients oftentimes to create a monthly action planner. They create action steps for each week, various weekly metrics, and I touch base with them during the month and after to evaluate their progress. Try it. Then tell me about it.

4) Online Accountability Tools

Michael Hyatt’s website featured a company called IRUNURUN (it’s not a running website). The website allows you to create up to 7 goals, measure their importance, and track your completion on a weekly basis.

With my clients I’m able to see their progress privately, encourage them to accomplish their goals, and push them to get a friend involved who’ll compete alongside of them (with the same or different goals) as each person gets a weekly score of 1-100.

5) Regular Phone Calls

Executive coaches help clients reach their goals by ensuring someone will regularly ask them about their progress. This alone lights a fire under many people. If you don’t think anyone will ever ask or care, your chances of completion are much lower.

What other Accountability Tools do you recommend? Which of these have you found most helpful?

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I hate listening to know-it-alls. They probably hate listening to me when I act like a know-it-all. Executive coaches use a proven strategy to avoid the know-it-all effect.

Executive coaches ask questions. Simple. Right? Yes and no.

Below you’ll find a few components of powerful coaching questions:

1) Powerful Questions are Open Questions (why or how)

Open questions eradicate the know-it-all effect. They illicit a response. They put the responsibility in the other person’s hands.

These questions invigorate conversation rather than ending it. Try using the words “how” and “what” before all your questions for one day.

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2) Powerful Questions Use the Client’s Words

People want to be heard. Effective coaches utilize the client’s own words to demonstrate effective listening and to allow the client to hear what they said.

3) Powerful Questions Reframe Issues

When coaches reframe questions using similar words the client often corrects the coach or agrees with the coach. Reframing helps the client to think about the same issue in slightly different terms.

4) Powerful Questions Clarify

Coaches push clients towards clarity. Using questions, coach not only facilitate their own understanding but force the client to speak about their goals, challenges, or action steps with precision.

5) Powerful Questions Dig Deeper

Life is busy. Coaches serve their clients by creating a safe space to dig deeper into the issues that mean the most to them. This can give the client freedom or permission to go deeper than they would normally have time for.

What else makes a question powerful? How could you implement one of these five components in your daily life, work, or coaching?

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What do you do when you want to share a PDF, a video, or some other file online? Where do you go to accomplish this? If you are a web designer, this is easy. If not, this process can be a little more intimidating.

Public File Sharing is the fourth Dropbox tip in this series of posts. Here are some examples of where its useful:

1) Sharing a PDF Resume Online

Dropbox can help you find a job. For those of you seeking a job, you can post a PDF of your resume in the “Public” section of Dropbox (the non-password protected portion). Dropbox lets you copy the public “link” to the file and share it in emails, Facebook, or other locations.

2) Sharing a Presentation

Oftentimes people want to share a recent powerpoint or keynote presentation. You can easily place your presentation file (note: I recommend locking the file within powerpoint with a password to prevent changes) in the “Public” section of Dropbox to share it with the world. Remember though that anything that goes in the Public folder is free game for public consumption and distribution.

3) Video Files

Videos shared on Youtube often have ads, reduced quality, and are subject to Youtube’s rules and regulations. Videos placed in Dropbox are your property and can be downloaded as high quality files, without ads, and played on the users computer. Perhaps you’d like to market your services or provide your clients or potential clients with a resource. What type of video could you create that they would want to download, share, or even burn DVDs of after downloading it from your public Dropbox folder?

In what ways could you utilize Dropbox’s Public File Sharing to further your personal, business, or social goals?

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(Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and create a DropBox account, I will receive an affiliate storage space. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

I recently learned a few lessons and practical tips for social media (but that apply to life in general). It was a helpful reminder that social media and “real life” may have more in common that we think.

1) People Like to be Asked for Advice

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Let’s be honest, sometimes it’s hard to admit we don’t know the answer to something. It’s called pride. People appreciate those who will stop and ask for help and advice.

2) Your Story Interests Others More than Your Words

I’m regularly amazed by how much more interested people are in pictures on Facebook and Twitter than they are in the words I type. What story are you communicating? How could you let others come along on your journey?

3) People Appreciate Reciprocity

When someone comments on your profile, do you respond? Do you ever comment on their posts? What about when someone calls and doesn’t leave a voicemail. You can decide not to call back because “if it was important enough, they would have left a voicemail” OR you can call them back to show your appreciation for their call.

4) People Desire to Connect

Social media gives us limitless examples of this (after all its a big reason social media exists). Contact someone new or an old friend today. Be interested enough in them that they sense that you care. Make an emotional connection.

5) Don’t Just Talk about Yourself

It’s easy to only talk about yourself on social media sites. Take a few minutes to share something that has nothing to do with you. Perhaps a topic you’re interested in that others might be interested in. Perhaps this blog post. Perhaps a helpful Do-It-Yourself article you read recently.

6) Be a Resource for Others

Online and in real life, people appreciate those who are what I call a “resource.” These are people who connect them to helpful ideas, processes, events, or people. Read an e-Book, a good article, or something else that would be helpful to others lately? If so, what’s hoping you back from sharing it.

How could you be more generous with what and who you know? Who might benefit from your being a resource online and in “real” life?

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I recently read The Clutter Diet and Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements as part of my personal development plan. Both books were helpful and much more could be said, but one theme occurred repeatedly (the aforementioned antidote to procrastination).

Take Small Steps.

Here’s why:

1) Small Steps are Manageable

Many people struggle with their weight. If this is you, what’s one small thing you could do today that would be a small step in the right direction. Fad diets are exactly that, fads. Do one small thing well for a week, then add on.

2) Small Steps are NOT Overwhelming

Big projects wear people down (ie dissertations, cleaning out the garage or fridge, etc). When the same projects are split into small pieces (that are celebrated when they are completed), much more gets done and anxiety levels stay lower. Big goals aren’t the problem. Unclear, unachievable, unreasonable action plans are.

3) Small Steps Spark Momentum

People often procrastinate until some other outside force requires them to act. Procrastination delays progress. Take a few baby steps and see if you spark momentum towards accomplishing a seemingly insurmountable project.

4) Small Steps are Measurable

Simply saying, “I’m going to get organized” will not organize someone. They should design a plan with small steps that are measurable. If a stranger can’t give you a good evaluation, it’s probably too vague.

Consistent small steps in the right direction are required to see long-term success in virtually anything (Organization, Wellbeing, Weight, Career, Spiritual).

What small steps do you need to take?

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(Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive an affiliate payment. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Most of our family lives a long way from us. In fact, many of our friends do as well.

I work with many groups of people in many different locations. We need to share files but we’re on dispersed teams. Perhaps you’ve found this as frustrating as we have.

The third tip we have regarding the use of Dropbox is Group File Sharing. Here are some examples:

1) Inter-Team Sharing (same location)

Dropbox permits you to give different people access to different folders. For example, each person on your team may receive access to your “team” folder. This reduces cost by giving you a document sharing platform that bypasses the costly servers of the past.

However, if you were using Dropbox to share files with potential clients, you could put those files in the “client resources” folder restricting access to only those potential clients you’re in negotiations with.

For employees, you could have a separate folder for each direct report. Each person might have a tracking file in their folder, any long-term projects they are working on, and file their monthly reports in the same file. This keeps these files out of your inbox, in an organized and easy to find place, and you see a Dropbox notification on your screen when they’ve been completed.

2) Dispersed Teams (different locations)

Dispersed teams face unique challenges. How do you share files with a team that’s located in 5 countries? What tools facilitate collaboration rather than miscommunication?

Using Dropbox to collaborate on a project, a team member creates a folder and gives each person access. Then each person can place documents to share, collaborate on, or a request for feedback in the folder. This “pushes” the file out to everyone, reduces inbox clutter, and facilitates communication/understanding (ie everyone had access to the file, whether they chose to view it or not is another matter).

3) Family Files

Families like sharing pictures, videos, and presentations. For couples, you could create a “family folder” for each of your families (ie “husband’s family” and “wife’s family”). Within these folders you could easily share pictures, videos, and anything else with your family. Websites such as Facebook are a great way to share pictures but Facebook reduces the quality. Using Dropbox allows you to share high quality images (within reason, otherwise you have to upgrade to a paid version).

4) Friend Sharing

Groups of friends often take part in activities together. When small children are involved, people who avoid social media, or in a business context, oftentimes people prefer not to share pictures on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Instead you can easily create a folder in Dropbox, name it “Friday Dinner Group”, give the other friends/families permission to add/delete content, and then begin sharing pictures securely among you without involving the whole world.

How do you plan to employ Dropbox in your company or family?

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(Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and create a Dropbox account, I will receive an affiliate storage space. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

In fact, Forbes.com recently had a video on its website highlighting, you guessed it, “What You Can Learn from Steve Jobs.” Here are the seven “driving principles” as presented by Forbes along with my commentary on each one. Feel free to click the picture below to watch the video if you’d prefer.

1) Do What You Love

(c) http://www.apple.com

Many people spend their whole life doing a job they hate. Avoid this.

2) Put a Dent in the Universe

Does your plan for your life include a big vision? How will you change the world?

3) Connect Things to Spark Your Creativity

Jobs knew how to create things people didn’t know they needed by making connections we hadn’t imagined were possible.

4) Say No to 1,000 Things

I once met someone who said to say “no” to someone every day so you never get out of the habit.

5) Create Insanely Different Experiences

Is your business boring? When people meet you, customers work with you, or any other interaction, ask yourself how you can give them an insanely different (and positive) experience.

6) Master the Message

What are you all about? Decide on what the main point is, master it, and repeat it 1,000 times.

7) Sell Dreams, Not Products

Do your products inspire people? In many ways, most people have a “wow” experience when they enter an Apple store. Perhaps we could all learn from this.

What else can we learn from Steve Jobs? What have you learned from him?

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