three questions to answer about each one.
by august j. aquila
what makes a great partnership
“if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” – zig ziegler
if we achieve what we measure, then it is true that we become what we think about most of the time. philip e. humbert, ph.d. wrote, “the human brain is a goal-seeking, problem- solving machine, and the things we think about, focus on, and worry about inevitably shape our destiny.”
more: seven keys to becoming an equity partner | how to create firm accountability | eight criteria for partnership | how to achieve partner unity | five questions to ask your partners about accountability | how you can get partners to change | the seven building blocks of a great partnership
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brian tracy says the four main excuses people make as to why they don’t have written goals are:
- they didn’t realize the importance of goals
- they didn’t know how to write goals
- fear of failure
- fear of rejection
goal setting starts at the top
let’s take this down to the reality of a managing partner. what do you focus on and what do you worry about? if your answer is everything, you are filling your mind with too much “stuff.” no one can worry about everything. however, there are a handful of things you should be worrying about when it comes to the health of your practice.
refuse to fill your days with all these other worries. they are not important. this is easier said than done, but there are ways to focus yourself on what is truly important for your firm and for you. that is why i firmly believe that managing partners, more than anyone else in the firm, need to have specific goals that are shared with the firm’s other partners and family members. you will make your biggest contribution when you passionately pursue your talents and use your strengths. you can only accomplish this by having goals that rely on your talents and strengths.
the power of written goals
there has been a lot written about goals over the years. and if you read the works of high achievers, they are always promoting that we need to have a clear idea of what we want to accomplish and then write it down so we can focus on achieving it.
just writing your goals down is not enough. you need to share them with your other partners, direct administrative support staff and family members.
because our practices and our personal lives are so closely tied together, what happens in one area has an impact on the other. personal and business goals should be discussed with a wide group of people. as the leader of the practice, you don’t operate in a vacuum. how will your partners know if you achieve your goals for the year? what impact will your goals have on your practice as well as your family? if you want to spend less time in the practice and more time at home or on a hobby, how will all those affected by this change feel?
once you have a draft of your goals, start getting input from those you trust the most. ask them for honest feedback as to how this particular goal will affect them. frame your goals and keep them on your desk so you see them each day. this will serve as a reminder of what you need to do.
how many goals should i set?
you don’t need a lot of goals for the year. in fact, most of us tend to have too many. break them down into three categories – personal, family and business. if you develop three in each category, you already have nine goals to accomplish. that may be too many – the number is really up to you, but don’t go beyond nine. make sure that your goals are measurable because that’s what you will be evaluated on at the end of the year.
why do you need goals in your life?
most managing partners spend the day multitasking and then wonder where the time went. take a look at your desk right now; is it cluttered with papers and files? having written goals can force you to choose what you need to do at the present time. your actions throughout the days, weeks and months keep you focused on achieving your written goals.
if others know your goals they can help you achieve them. too often our goals remain within us and we feel that no one else cares whether or not we accomplish them. letting others know your goals gets them aligned with you.
sharing goals with your partners and family members can also provide additional input. they may see obstacles and additional opportunities that you failed to see. they can help keep things in perspective. while you want to make sure that your goals are realistic and attainable, you don’t want to create any goals that become so dominant in your life that you lose sight of the present or what is really important.
the acid test
many consultants tell you that effective goals need to be smart – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. these are all critical aspects of good goals. however, even if you meet all of these criteria and your written goal does not light a fire in your belly, you have the wrong goals. goals are accomplished because you have a burning desire to do something. when setting goals for yourself and others in the firm, make sure that you are true to yourself and do what you love. when you and your partners know exactly what they want, then all your efforts are focused on achieving those goals. your firm is now alive! your people are alert and invigorated! when was the last time you or they felt that way?
when you set your goal be sure to answer these three questions:
- do i really want this goal?
- how badly do i want it?
- am i willing to do what it takes to achieve it?
it’s never too late to start this process. so, if you haven’t developed or written down your goals for the current year, do it now! realistic and passionate goals take a lot of time and thought before you are willing to tackle them. get away for at least one day by yourself and think about what goals you want to achieve for yourself, your family and your practice.
that will be the start of the process. you will feel like you are standing at the edge of a diving board, afraid to jump into the water. your choices are to go back to the old ways or to take the plunge. my advice, from personal experience, is to take the plunge. the water is great!