Working Your Plan

There are many ways to envision and create work/life plans. The strategy, tactics, and specific level of detail included within a plan is often a matter of purpose or preference. How we work a plan is another matter. How we engage and see progress is significant. How much we believe in the plan is crucial. How we talk about our progress is pivotal. 

If you are responsible for a plan and its success you are leading. Leaders who are self-aware understand that the way they talk to themselves matters. The inner life of our self-talk is essential. Research demonstrates that what leaders believe and how they live out their values make a significant impact on leadership strategies and outcomes. Today’s leadership growth and ongoing development will be realized with further learning and deeper insight and discovery into our individual values and beliefs.

Consider what you focus on as you are working your plan. Do you value encouragement? How could this be stated or shared as you work your plan? Do you appreciate all progress? Do you primarily focus on the challenges and problems? Or do you work to cultivate balance and engage with progress and success as well as the issues? Are you evaluating the work with a lens of perfectionism? How can you pivot away from this and change your lens to one that remains curious? Our focus is connected to our beliefs and values. What we believe, how we live out our values, and how we talk about our progress significantly impact the success of our plans.

Sustaining enthusiasm or motivation for our plans is another lesson for growth and awareness. The unknown variables of work and life impact our plans. Sustaining our purpose when unexpected change or misdirection from others occurs can be difficult, unfortunate, and for some heart-breaking. The ways we manage our focus, acknowledge change when it occurs, determine if adjustments are needed, calculate time and the timing of new solutions or decisions, and negotiate and track progress is brilliance in action. This is especially true considering how valuable resources like resilience and patience are during times of unexpected change.  

We may experience unexpected fluctuations or unforeseen circumstances after we put our plans into motion. Being aware of this as we make our plans is critical. Knowing unknown change may impact us reminds us to include patience and resilience as a mantra while working our plans. Given most work/life plans are explicit in their focus on growth, needed change, valuable innovation, productive collaboration, or all of these, working your plan requires insight from others. We all need connection, support, and encouragement. Consider who you know that contributes valuable recommendations, ideas, support, or encouragement. You can include these people when developing your plans and ask if they will be open to meeting or checking in as you are working your plan.

Mid-year is nearly here yet it’s always a good time to work with Promoting Brilliance. Share your plans, create a growth or business plan, or perhaps you’re ready to edit and renew your commitment with your existing work/life plan. Ready to dive deeper into your leadership values and beliefs? Our coaching services and resources benefit your leadership contributions, business and career choices, and work/life communication.