Measurable Goals For Performance Management

In a recent email to me, mezhermnt subscriber Corina from Hong Kong asks:

"This will be the first year my company uses the SMART approach to do performance management. As a manager, I am supposed to set up measurable objectives for my subordinates. It's not a problem for me to set up measurable objectives for my assistant managers as they have deadlines to meet. But when it comes to my secretary and the clerical staff, I am not sure how to set measurable goals for them as their duties are very routine and tedious. Could you give me some examples?"

Are deadlines the only thing worth measuring?

Measurable Goals For Performance Management

Corina mentions that setting up measurable goals for her assistant managers is relatively easy because they have deadlines to meet. Does this mean that the only results worth measuring for the assistant managers is whether they complete things by their deadlines?

What about completing the right things, instead of wasting time and effort and money on doing things that really don't need to be done at all?

And what about completing things well, instead of rushing to get it done on time but producing an end result that falls below the standards required?

Spend the time to think about results, before thinking about goals and measures.

So this is the first key to setting measurable goals for performance management: first spend some time to define the most important results that the person, in their role, is responsible for achieving. And check that you've got the right balance among those results using a checklist something like this one:

* timeliness (finishing the work on time, or with as short as feasible cycle time or total effort)

* quality (the goodness of the output produced, perhaps in terms of customer expectations or standards)

* quantity (the total amount of work performed, or output produced)

* cost (the total amount spent to perform the tasks)

* efficiency or productivity (the best use of time and resources)

So what are some examples of measurable goals for a secretary or personal assistant?

First we need to talk about the results that are important for a secretary or personal assistant to achieve, rather than get hung up on the duties they perform. For example, rather than focusing on the duties of "send agendas for meetings" and "schedule appointments", one key result might be "their boss is always able to focus on the priorities and not distracted by administrative tasks".

Next, what could be some goals for a secretary to strive for over the coming year? One goal, in line with the above result, could be to "Reduce the proportion of administrative items that go into the boss's in tray or diary."

And lastly, how could you measure this goal? One way could be to add the total hours the boss spends on administrative tasks (or tasks that are not in their list of priorities) and divide it by the total time the boss works, to give a proportion of time spent in administrative tasks. Clearly the goal is to reduce this amount.

See how this thought process gets you monitoring important results, instead of just measuring activity, like how many agendas were produced or how many appointments were scheduled?

So next time you're setting goals and measures for your staff, make sure the conversation starts with a clear statement of the results they are responsible for producing, as opposed to the tasks they perform. Measure the results, not the tasks.

Measurable Goals For Performance Management
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Stacey Barr is the Performance Measure Specialist, helping people to measure their business strategy, goals and objectives so they actually achieve them.

Sign up for Stacey’s free mezhermnt Handy Hints ezine at http://www.staceybarr.com to receive your complimentary copy of her e-book “202 Tips for Performance Measurement”, and get more control over the destiny of your business.

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6 Steps to Setting Goals That Improve Performance

How many goals do you have on your agenda right now? Out of all these goals, how many are you actually making significant progress on? Furthermore, how many of these goals help better you as a person?

Setting goals isn't necessarily an art form. There are many common principles for setting productive goals, though an often neglected criteria, is incorporating the area of human performance into the mix.

Below is a process to follow in order to work toward your goals while simultaneously improving performance.

6 Steps to Setting Goals That Improve Performance

1) Set clear, reasonable goals

First and foremost follow the staple principles of goal setting. Set SMART goals that are specific, measurable, reasonable, and time-bound. Set goals that are realistic according to your current circumstances, and that can be measured and concretely performed.

It becomes easy to get side-tracked and distracted from taking the necessary steps if a goal is not clear and specific in nature. This means having a concrete plan and deadline to complete the task. There is a major difference between the big-picture vision, and the day to day operations that make the vision happen. Both are needed and must complement each other for long-term success.

2) Identify the behaviors that are critical for performance

This step is often overlooked in the process of setting goals. People think about making sure the goal is realistic and specific, but seem to forget that each goal requires its own set of unique skills and talent, along with a necessary level of self-growth and development.

From the get-go establish what behaviors are going to be the primary focus for improvement and growth. What behaviors will be conducive to performing at your peak in the process of achieving your intended goal?

Discovering this will allow you to devise a plan where the necessary education, training, and support are built into the process and plan of achieving your goal. This will help provide the means to start setting more lofty goals, as you won't expect to know everything immediately, and can look toward the long-term vision with needed skills in mind to be learned along the way.

3) Establish potential rewards and discipline

With any plan for making a change in habits or routine, it's important to have rewards and incentives prepared. Unless you are 100% intrinsically motivated to pursue your goal, there must be some external reward that will assist you in putting in the extra effort and commitment needed to follow through.

Hopefully you're approaching an endeavor where motivation comes from true desire and passion, but it can't hurt to have a little extra boost in motivation by keeping your eye on the prize that's awaiting you.

Also, if you're lacking intrinsic motivation, find a way to give the goal significant meaning and purpose, where the benefits outweigh the small inconveniences. Make sure you have developed the proper discipline necessary to see the goal through. This might mean incorporating a coach or acquaintance to hold you accountable to daily action steps.

4) Continue developing abilities to enhance performance

Okay, this step is of vital importance. Revert back to what you considered from step two and start putting this personal or professional development into action. This can be easier said than done. You may be able to identify areas where you think improvements can be made, but are you following through in developing these areas?

It can be time consuming to engage in training or continued education. It can also be costly if you are taking a formal approach to education and training. Make sure that you are establishing a routine that includes time to build your skills and knowledge. Do your best to educate yourself by reading a book or two per month. Read blogs, articles, or magazines every week to keep abreast on the knowledge and current events in your area of growth. Connect with mentors to help you grow and expand your skills.

For blogging, one cost effective training program is the A-List Blogger Club. This program provides bootcamps, forums, mentoring, and continually updated content and resources to take you through the processes of setting-up a blog, all the way through establishing your blog as a successful business.

5) Get accurate, timely feedback

Now that you're underway and the ball is rolling, make sure to keep tabs on how things are coming together. This is why it's so important to have measurable objectives, so you can gauge the progress being made.

Feedback can come from specific measures set-up at the beginning of the development process. Track your progress with specific milestones that are to be achieved by a specific date and time. Along with a deadline, have a good idea of what type of quality you intend to produce. Don't compromise quality and effectiveness, for quantity and efficiency.

Feedback can also come from others who are mentoring you through the process. Have someone else review your progress and provide constructive feedback. This will give you another perspective into how things are going, and new insight for how they could be improved.

6) Administer rewards as promised and celebrate a job well done

After all is said and done, if you set reasonable and specific goals, you will most likely see some significant results. At this point make sure and give yourself the rewards established earlier in the planning process.

Give yourself the encouragement and praise for working hard and staying focused. Even if you feel far from your big picture vision, don't neglect the progress made. If you have achieved your measurable objectives up to this point, recognize this accomplishment, and give yourself a pat on the back before you hurriedly move on to your next set of goals.

This will help with maintaining a positive attitude and encouraged state of mind. It can also prevent frustration and burnout from feeling stagnant and unaccomplished.

If things aren't working for you, don't continue to doing things the same old way. Change the way you approach goals by seeking areas of growth and development, and by providing yourself a desired incentive and reinforcement for all your hard work. By doing so, you'll more likely to achieve your goal and get more personal value out what you accomplish.

6 Steps to Setting Goals That Improve Performance
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Joe Wilner is an entrepreneur and life coach. He runs the blog Shake off the Grind, providing advice to help people find success through the up's and down's of life.

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Setting The Tone For A Positive Learning Environment

Every teacher has a responsibility to provide a healthy learning environment for his or her students. Over the years, volumes of research have been conducted to help teachers determine what works best for the students. There is a wealth of methods and techniques that, through research, have been proven to improve the quality of the learning environment. Many different aspects of the learning environment should be considered.

A positive learning environment is one in which school staff, students, and parents build safe and peaceful environments where people feel accepted and respected and where learning is the main focus (Stratman, n.d.). Therefore, a positive school climate exists when all students feel comfortable, wanted, valued, accepted, and secure in an environment where they can interact with caring people they trust. A positive school climate affects everyone associated with the school, being the students, staff, parents, and the community. It is the belief system or culture that underlies the day-to-day operation of a school. "Improved school climate is a goal to pursue. Educators need to constantly work toward improving their school climate, culture, and conditions so that student learning is improved" (Noonan, 2004 p.64). How Teachers Can Set the Tone for a Positive Learning Environment

There are many things a teacher can do to make his or her classroom a safe and positive place for students to learn. First and foremost, a teacher needs to be enthusiastic about her or himself. They must come in with an energetic attitude. They must be positive because it radiates. How the teacher feels and appears it will affect the classroom. The teacher is the facilitator, the teacher sets an example, and the teacher is the role model. Attitude goes a long way.

Setting The Tone For A Positive Learning Environment

When teachers come to work stressed-out, it can be damaging to the students. A study conducted by Yoon (2002) investigated whether or not teacher stress, negative affect, and self-efficacy would predict the quality of student-teacher relationships. Findings suggested, "negative teacher-student relationships were predicted by teacher stress. Significant correlations were found among negative affect, teacher stress and negative relationships"(p.486).
The teacher should also share with the students the importance of an education and the importance of being independent. So if they see a teacher enthused about learning and ideas are shared, then the students will feel the same as well. Teachers can also help create a positive environment by simply caring for the students and showing each of them that they are special. Furthermore, they should be taught to respect and care for each other.

Teachers should regularly conduct research to stay up-to-date on the best practices and methods to use in creating a positive learning environment. Freda Glatt, a retired teacher who firmly believes in the benefits of a positive learning environment has shared some tips on creating a positive learning environment through the Sandral Sensations website (2003):
Make sure each child knows that he is important to you as an individual. Give eye contact and a pleasant greeting to every child each morning. Look and sound enthusiastic when a child makes progress on a skill he is finding difficult. Anytime is a good time for a smile.

Teach students to help rather than to laugh. It takes a lot of bravery to participate when you are unsure of yourself. Bring that to your class' attention by doing some role-playing. Ask how they felt when their classmates laughed at them. Remind your pupils that everyone is human and makes mistakes...but that it is okay and expected. You do not want them to fear being ridiculed if they ask a question or answer incorrectly.

Take note of your students' strengths and let them help you throughout the year. Make a positive statement before giving a correction. Your reaction when a child gets an answer wrong is also important. "A positive statement, followed by a negative one, helps to soften the blow and you remind students that you care" (Burnett, 1999, p.3).

George Stratman of the San Diego County Office of Education (n.d.) has created a useful list of "10 Subtle Ways to Create a Positive Learning Environment", which can be a useful guide of elementary school teachers:

1. Begin your week by "nesting." Students need time upon arrival to become familiar with and comfortable in their new surroundings. Take time during your first class to discuss the week and what they will be doing and to answer questions they may have.

2. Use the students' names. They will feel that you know them and care about them.

3. Catch them being good. Praise the group and individuals when they do well. (Be careful not to over praise an individual. Telling the other students that they should behave "just like Suzy" can be counterproductive--and not necessarily appreciated by Suzy.)

4. Dignify wrong answers. If a child gives a wrong answer, give him or her credit for trying, and if possible, relate their answer to the subject matter. For example, if you are asking the students for an example of a decomposer and a student answers "manzanita," you could respond by saying, "the manzanita is a vital part of this ecosystem, so you're on the right track. However, I'm looking for a living organism that would help break down the manzanita into soil after it dies."

5. Give students a second chance to answer correctly. You could follow-up on the situation above by giving all the students an opportunity to share with their neighbors some examples of decomposers. Once it is clear that everyone has an answer, tell the student (above) that you will give him/her another opportunity and then, after you've taken an answer or two from other students, call on that student again.

6. Don't "zap" students. If a student is misbehaving, try and redirect the behavior in subtle ways such as moving closer to that individual, utilizing his or her name in a sentence during instruction (such as "let's say we were walking on the trail and Johnny came across a deer track..."), or a gentle hand on the shoulder. If you must address the child directly and aggressively, pull him/her away from the group. If you overtly discipline a child in front of the group, others may be afraid to participate for fear of the same treatment.

7. Phrase your questions in a manner that is non-threatening. It is better to ask, "who would like to share with the group..." than to ask "who knows the answer to..." as the latter implies that if you don't raise your hand, you don't know.

8. Allow for thinking time. After you ask a question or give instructions give the students time to process. If you give instructions and ask for questions but do not provide wait time, children who process slower than others may not understand and will feel lost once the activity starts. Students who are not given adequate time to consider when answering a question will similarly feel left out.

9. Don't repeat answers. When a student makes a comment, let his/her comment stand on its own. If you repeat the answer, the students will be trained to listen only to the teacher and you will steal some of the "thunder" away from the student. If you think the others did not hear, have the student repeat the answer. (Note: this technique may not work when addressing 200 people, but is very effective with a smaller group.)

10. Give the students choices. Make sure the choices you give are acceptable to you. For instance, you can say "today we are going to climb 'Daredevil Hill,' would you like to do that before or after lunch?" Giving some choice in activities, or at least the order, gives the students some control and buy-in for their week.

How Parents Can Set the Tone for a Positive Learning Environment:

Parents can also play a part in creating a positive learning environment (Muijs, 2004). Teachers should expect parents to work with their child and school personnel to support the learning of their child and the learning environment of the school. The Canadian Education Act 1997) asserts certain expectations for parents. These are to: "meet the basic needs of their child; ensure their child attends school; encourage their child to complete assigned homework; attend to their child's conduct while the child is at school and on the way to and from school; communicate reasonably with school personnel." (Canadian Education Act, 1997, p.1).

Just as the teacher's attitude plays a role in establishing the positive environment, the parents' attitudes also take effect (Ajzen, 1988, p.10). Parents can help by sending the child off to school on a positive note. If a parent smiles as he or she wishes the child a nice day and says "I love you", the child is already approaching the day with a positive outlook and will be more receptive to learning (Ajzen, 1988, p.10).

In conclusion, with the support and dedication of the teachers, parents, and administration, any learning environment can and should be transformed into a positive learning environment. Clearly, everyone has a different role to play and a responsibility to fulfill in order to maintain the positive environment. There are many benefits to maintaining a positive learning environment. "Positive learning environments in schools will maximize the learning of every student; Help children and youth become full participating citizens of society; Help to build a sense of community; Lead to cost savings and economic benefits as prevention is less expensive than incarceration" (Positive Learning Environments in Schools, 2005).

Reference

Ajzen, I. (1988). Attitudes, personality, & behavior. Chicago: The Dorsey Press.
Burnett, P. (1999). The impact of teachers' praise on students' self-talk and self-concepts. New South Wales, Aus: Teaching and Teacher Education. Retrieved September 15, 2005, from ERIC database.

Canadian Education Act.(1997) Retrieved Sep. 14, 2005, from
http://www.gnb.ca/acts/acts/e-01-12.htm.
DiGiulio, R. (2001). Educate, medicate, or litigate? what teachers, parents, and administrators must do about student behavior.. California, US: Educational Management. Retrieved September 15, 2005, from ERIC database.

Doctor, S. (1997). Creating a positive school climate. Towards Inclusion: Tapping Hidden Strengths, 3. Retrieved Sep 14, 2005, from
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/ks4/specedu/fas/pdf/3.pdf.

Glatt, F. J. (2003). Retrieved Sep. 14, 2005, from Reading is FUNdamental Web site: http://www.sandralreading.com.

Johnson, C., Templeton, R., & Guofang, W. (2000). Pathways to peace: promoting non-violent learning environments.. Chicago: Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Retrieved September 16, 2005, from ERIC database.

Muijs, D., Harris A., Chapman C., and Stoll, L. (2004). Improving schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas--a review of research evidence. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 15(2), 149-175.

Setting The Tone For A Positive Learning Environment
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Rebecca Schauffele: Teaching is my PASSION. I am fun-loving and really enjoy working with kids. Through my work, I hope to make a difference in the lives of youth and inspire them to dream big and work hard to reach their goals.

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Goals Setting - How to Set Long Term Goals

Goals setting is an essential component of achieving success in your life, and more specifically in tasks that you undertake. Within the goals setting process, the setting of long goals is the most essential component, as it helps you to not only set the high level of the goals you want to achieve, but also helps you decide what goals are important to you.

To set your long term goals you must first look at the key areas of your life. The main key areas in your life will be along the lines of the following:

Financial: For example, you should have a goal detailing what you want your financial future to look like. The financial area of your life doesn't mean you have to be wealth obsessed. It simple means that you should work out saving programs, investments etc to ensure your financial security. Health: Health is possibly the most important. Without good health achieving any of your other goals won't be as enjoyable. You should look at your weight, and exercise as well as improving any existing conditions that you have. Family/friends: Your family and friends are a very important aspect of your life. You should look at goals around spending time with them, and how you want your relationships to be. Community/Spiritual: Giving to other people or to go causes is an important aspect of your life, and will lead to happiness as well. In addition, your religion and living a good life based on this is also integral. You should be setting goals around improving in these areas.

Goals Setting - How to Set Long Term Goals

At the high level goals setting, doesn't have to be very specific. The goals setting process becomes a lot more specific once you get down to the yearly, monthly and daily goals. Your long term goals should be for a period of between seven and ten years, as this gives you the time to change direction, while still been close enough to see the end in sight for your goals.

To set your long term goals, write down the four key areas above and start listing what you would like to achieve in these areas. As detailed above, the specifics at this stage are not important, what you are looking at is general changes or improvements that you would like to make over the coming years.

Once you have written your long term goals you should also put them in a place where you can view them regularly. This will help keep you motivated and help to keep you on track.

Goals Setting - How to Set Long Term Goals
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Goal setting can help you achieve success and happiness in your life. However, the way you goal set will have an impact on how successful you are. If you want to learn the secrets of successful goal setting, then visit Rusty O'Connor's free Goal Setting Ezine Goals Setting. You will even receive a free e-book just for checking it out.

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Examples of Smart Goals - How Do You Make Goals Smart?

Mr. Stewart gave each of us a piece of paper with an instruction to write one of our life's goals. After ten minutes, he collected the papers. You know what? Every piece of paper was crumpled except for Annie's -"By September 2nd of 2009, I will position myself for a minimum raise of 9% of my salary by reducing the department's budget by 9% but increasing its sales by at least 9%". Then, with a smile, Mr. Stewart said: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have an example of a smart goal version of saying I want a raise!"

Smart goals? Yes, you heard it right. Here are some 101's on these goals and some examples of smart goals:

o Specific. You know what you want to accomplish. Vague goals equate to vague results. Goals must be fully furnished with detailed description of the what, when and how.

Examples of Smart Goals - How Do You Make Goals Smart?

Vague goal - I will graduate;

SMART Goal - I will graduate Magna Cum Laude in four years time. I will commit myself to studying to get a minimum 3.679 grade-point average in all my subjects.

o Measurable. You can assess your progress. Goals which can not be measured can not be managed. Your goal is measurable if anyone can tell you at the end of the deadline, whether or not you have completed your goal.

Vague goal - I want to be successful;

SMART goal - I want to have a savings account with at least 0,000 within 5 years from this date.

o Attainable. Your goal must be within your reach in your present situation. High goals that stretch you are okay, but high AND realistic goals are better. Unattainable goals can not motivate you. Easy goals on the other hand are not challenging enough. Thus, they do not contribute to your growth.

Vague goal - I want to be rich in three months;

SMART goal - I want to be rich in 8 years by starting my own food business and attending business and management seminars and workshops.

o Relevant. Goals need to be parallel to your purpose in life. Relevant goals are a sure way to direct your efforts towards attaining something that is concentrated to who you are as a person. Goals are simply instruments to accomplishing one's mission/purpose in life.

Vague goal - Within a year, I will become a politician with large sums of money at my disposal;

SMART goal - By the end of the year, I will become a leader who will fight to increase productivity and tourism in my country.

o Time-Sensitive. Goals need to have deadlines. A goal free from time element is susceptible to procrastination.

Vague goal - I will do my research paper;

SMART goal - I will start doing my research paper by 7 tonight and finish it by 7 pm on the next day.

The aforementioned illustrates how you can make your goals smart. There are also examples of smart goals contrasted with vague goals above. Yes, success depends on goal setting-but not just plain goal setting. You have to make your goals smart!

And you? What are your examples of smart goals?

Examples of Smart Goals - How Do You Make Goals Smart?
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You will find more articles about Set Smart Goals at SelfMadeMiracle.com Be sure to grab a copy of our FREE eBook valued at titled Personal Power Course and follow along with us on Twitter at selfmademiracle

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Set Small Goals To Lose 10 Pounds And A Dress Size

Get a piece of paper and a pen. Write down our goal of losing 10 pounds and one dress size. The amount of weight necessary to lose a dress size is approximately 10-15 pounds. It won't take months to do this. You can reasonably lose 10 pounds in 30-60 days. It's unreasonable to try and drop a size in a week. You'll do more harm than good and the results will not last.

We are going to focus on our goal. Let's do some simple math. We have to burn more calories than we eat to lose weight. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. Hypothetically you can lose a pound a day if you burned that many calories. Some people recommend cutting back 500 calories a day. After a week's time you would have lost a pound.

One week, one pound. Pretty good.

Set Small Goals To Lose 10 Pounds And A Dress Size

Planning is the easy part. Now you have to do it. There are a few ways to do it though. They don't require drastic lifestyle changes.

And contrary to what you've been led to believe by the diet soft drink makers; drinking diet sodas is not part of a successful weight loss plan. You can do a search on Google and read the latest research. But basically, an ingredient in diet sodas keeps you from feeling full so they lead you to overeating. And when we are trying to cut our caloric intake this is not as good as it seems.

Ok, so how can we lose a pound a week? We want small realistic goals. A small goal to shoot for is adding some physical activity to your day. A short 15-30 minute brisk walk is a start. Try and do it 2-3 times a week until you build it into a new habit. Once it becomes a habit then you will keep it a part of your life.

Small changes can make a big difference in your waist line and your life. If 500 calories is hard to achieve, shoot for a smaller more manageable decrease that you can live with and build up from there. Try and cut out 100 to 200 calories a day. 100 calories a day and you'll lose about 10 pounds a year. 200 calories, about 20 pounds a year. 300, 30 lbs. 400, 40 lbs. You get the idea.

If you starve yourself you're not going to make lasting changes. Eat often so you won't go hungry. Eating 5-6 small meals a day is the new recommendation to keep your metabolism running and burning calories.

These quick ideas will help you lose 10, 20, or even 30 pounds and drop a dress size or two. Set a goal and set your mind on achieving it. Reach a small goal and then set a bigger one and then keep going. You can do it.

Set Small Goals To Lose 10 Pounds And A Dress Size
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Adam Tijerina reviews popular weight loss methods on Lose 10 Pounds, a blog dedicated to losing 10 pounds without diet pills or risky surgery. Discover how to lose 10-20 pounds and keep it off.

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The History of New Years Resolutions

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.

With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

The New Year has not always begun on January 1, and it doesn't begin on that date everywhere today. It begins on that date only for cultures that use a 365-day solar calendar. January 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.

The History of New Years Resolutions

The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new.

The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year's gifts.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

The Julian and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars. Some cultures have lunar calendars, however. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days because the months are based on the phases of the moon. The Chinese use a lunar calendar. Their new year begins at the time of the first full moon (over the Far East) after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and February 21.

Although the date for New Year's Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the coming year.

Ancient New Years

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23, although they themselves had no written calendar.

Late March actually is a logical choice for the beginning of a new year. It is the time of year that spring begins and new crops are planted. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

The Romans continued to observe the New Year on March 25, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.

In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the New Year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.

Global Good Luck Traditions

With New Year's upon us, here's a look at some of the good luck rituals from around the world. They are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity in the coming year.

AUSTRIA - The suckling pig is the symbol for good luck for the new year. It's served on a table decorated with tiny edible pigs. Dessert often consists of green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

ENGLAND - The British place their fortunes for the coming year in the hands of their first guest. They believe the first visitor of each year should be male and bearing gifts. Traditional gifts are coal for the fire, a loaf for the table and a drink for the master. For good luck, the guest should enter through the front door and leave through the back. Guests who are empty-handed or unwanted are not allowed to enter first.

WALES - At the first toll of midnight, the back door is opened and then shut to release the old year and lock out all of its bad luck. Then at the twelfth stroke of the clock, the front door is opened and the New Year is welcomed with all of its luck.

HAITI - In Haiti, New Year's Day is a sign of the year to come. Haitians wear new clothing and exchange gifts in the hope that it will bode well for the new year.

SICILY - An old Sicilian tradition says good luck will come to those who eat lasagna on New Year's Day, but woe if you dine on macaroni, for any other noodle will bring bad luck.

SPAIN - In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, the Spanish eat 12 grapes, one with every toll, to bring good luck for the 12 months ahead.

PERU - The Peruvian New Year's custom is a spin on the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at the turn of the year. But in Peru, a 13th grape must be eaten to assure good luck.

GREECE - A special New Year's bread is baked with a coin buried in the dough. The first slice is for the Christ child, the second for the father of the household and the third slice is for the house. If the third slice holds the coin, spring will come early that year.

JAPAN - The Japanese decorate their homes in tribute to lucky gods. One tradition, kadomatsu, consists of a pine branch symbolizing longevity, a bamboo stalk symbolizing prosperity, and a plum blossom showing nobility.

CHINA - For the Chinese New Year, every front door is adorned with a fresh coat of red paint, red being a symbol of good luck and happiness. Although the whole family prepares a feast for the New Year, all knives are put away for 24 hours to keep anyone from cutting themselves, which is thought to cut the family's good luck for the next year.

UNITED STATES - The kiss shared at the stroke of midnight in the United States is derived from masked balls that have been common throughout history. As tradition has it, the masks symbolize evil spirits from the old year and the kiss is the purification into the new year.

NORWAY - Norwegians make rice pudding at New Year's and hide one whole almond within. Guaranteed wealth goes to the person whose serving holds the lucky almond.

Chinese New Year

Except for a very few number of people who can keep track of when the Chinese New Year should be, the majority of the Chinese today have to rely on a typical Chinese calendar to tell it. Therefore, you cannot talk of the Chinese New Year without mentioning the Chinese calendar at first.

A Chinese calendar consists of both the Gregorian and lunar-solar systems, with the latter dividing a year into twelve month, each of which is in turn equally divided into thirty- nine and a half days. The well-coordinated dual system calendar reflects the Chinese ingenuity.

There is also a system that marks the years in a twelve-year cycle, naming each of them after an animal such as Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. People born in a particular year are believed to share some of the personalities of that particular animal.

The History of New Years Resolutions
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Gary Ryan Blair is the inspiration behind Got Resolutions - http://GotResolutions.com

Got Resolutions was founded on the premise, that a single resolution can positively and profoundly create lasting change in your life and help to make the world a better place.

To learn more, visit http://GotResolutions.com

Gary can be reached for media requests, television or radio appearances and speaking services at 877-462-5748 or by sending an email to Gary@GoalsGuy.com

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Rules to Setting Business Goals and Objectives: Why and How to be SMART

We all know that nothing runs without a plan, and a plan cannot run without having its objectives set.

That applies to any kind of plan, whether we're talking business or personal finances, university degrees or NGO programs, website promotion or weight loss.

Setting objectives and milestones is of crucial importance for any planning activity and is the core of its success, or failure.
Knowing how to set objectives is not exactly rocket science in terms of complexity, but any strategist should know the basic rules of how to formulate and propose objectives. We will see in this article why objectives play such a major role within a company's planning and strategic activities, how they influence all business processes, and we will review some guidelines of setting objectives.

Rules to Setting Business Goals and Objectives: Why and How to be SMART

The Importance of Setting Objectives

One might wonder why we need to establish objectives in the first place, why not let the company or a specific activity just run smoothly into the future and see where it gets. That would be the case only if we really do not care whether the activity in discussion will be successful or not: but then, to use a popular saying, "if something deserves to be performed, then it deserves to be performed well". In other words, if we don't care for the results, we should not proceed with the action at all.

Setting objectives before taking any action is the only right thing to do, for several reasons:

- it gives a target to aim to, therefore all actions and efforts will be focused on attaining the objective instead of being inefficiently used;

- gives participants a sense of direction, a glimpse of where they're going to;

- motivates the leaders and their teams, since it is quite the custom of establishing some sort of reward once the team successfully completed a project;

- offers the support in evaluating the success of an action or project.

The 5 Rules of Setting Objectives: Be SMART!

I am sure most managers and leaders know what SMART stands for, well, at least when it comes of establishing objectives. However, I have seen some of them who cannot fully explain the five characteristics of a good-established objective - things are somehow blurry and confused in their minds. Since they can't explain in details what SMART objectives really are, it is highly doubtful that they will always be able to formulate such objectives.

It is still unclear from where the confusion comes: perhaps there are too many sources of information, each of them with a slightly different approach upon what a SMART objective really is; or perhaps most people only briefly "heard" about it and they never get to reach the substance behind the packaging.

Either way, let us try to uncover the meaning of the SMART acronym and see how we can formulate efficient objectives.
SMART illustrates the 5 characteristics of an efficient objective; it stands for Specific - Measurable - Attainable - Relevant - Timely.

1. Be SPECIFIC!

When it comes of business planning, "specific" illustrates a situation that is easily identified and understood. It is usually linked to some mathematical determinant that imprints a specific character to a given action: most common determinants are numbers, ratios and fractions, percentages, frequencies. In this case, being "specific" means being "precise".

Example: when you tell your team "I need this report in several copies", you did not provide the team with a specific instruction. It is unclear what the determinant "several" means: for some it can be three, for some can be a hundred. A much better instruction would sound like "I need this report in 5 copies" - your team will know exactly what you expect and will have less chances to fail in delivering the desired result.

2. Be MEASURABLE!

When we say that an objective, a goal, must be measurable, we mean there is a stringent need to have the possibility to measure, to track the action(s) associated with the given objective.

We must set up a distinct system or establish clear procedures of how the actions will be monitored, measured and recorded. If an objective and the actions pertaining to it cannot be quantified, it is most likely that the objective is wrongly formulated and we should reconsider it.

Example: "our business must grow" is an obscure, non-measurable objective. What exactly should we measure in order to find out if the objective was met? But if we change it to "our business must grow in sales volume with 20%", we've got one measurable objective: the measure being the percentage sales rise from present moment to the given moment in the future. We can calculate this very easy, based on the recorded sales figures.

3. Be ATTAINABLE!

Some use the term "achievable" instead of "attainable", which you will see it is merely a synonym and we should not get stuck in analyzing which one is correct. Both are.

It is understood that each leader will want his company / unit to give outstanding performances; this is the spirit of competition and such thinking is much needed. However, when setting objectives, one should deeply analyze first the factors determining the success or failure of these objectives. Think of your team, of your capacities, of motivation: are they sufficient in order for the objectives to be met? Do you have the means and capabilities to achieve them?

Think it through and be honest and realistic to yourself: are you really capable of attaining the goals you've set or are you most likely headed to disappointment? Always set objectives that have a fair chance to be met: of course, they don't need to be "easily" attained, you're entitled to set difficult ones as long as they're realistic and not futile.

Example: you own a newborn movers company and you set the objective of "becoming no. 1 movers within the state". The problem is you only have 3 trucks available, while all your competitors have 10 and up. Your goal is not attainable; try instead a more realistic one, such as "reaching the Top 5 fastest growing movers company in the state".

4. Be RELEVANT!

This notion is a little more difficult to be perceived in its full meaning; therefore we will start explaining it by using an example in the first place.

Imagine yourself going to the IT department and telling them they need to increase the profit to revenue ratio by 5%. They will probably look at you in astonishment and mumble something undistinguished about managers and the way they mess up with people's minds.

Can you tell what is wrong with the objective above? Of course! The IT department has no idea what you were talking about and there's nothing they can do about it - their job is to develop and maintain your computerized infrastructure, not to understand your economic speech. What you can do it setting an objective that the IT department can have an impact upon, and which will eventually lead to the increase you wanted in the first place. What about asking them to reduce expenditures for hardware and software by 10% monthly and be more cautious with the consumables within their department by not exceeding the allocated budget? They will surely understand what they need to do because the objective is relevant for their group.

Therefore, the quality of an objective to be "relevant" refers to setting appropriate objectives for a given individual or team: you need to think if they can truly do something about it or is it irrelevant for the job they perform.

5. Be TIMELY!

No much to discuss about this aspect, since it is probably the easiest to be understood and applied.

Any usable and performable objective must have a clear timeframe of when it should start and/or when it should end. Without having a timeframe specified, it is practically impossible to say if the objective is met or not.

For example, if you just say "we need to raise profit by 500000 units", you will never be able to tell if the objective was achieved or not, one can always say "well, we'll do it next year". Instead, if you say "we need to raise profit by 500000 units within 6 months from now", anyone can see in 6 months if the goal was attained or not. Without a clear, distinct timeframe, no objective is any good.

Rules to Setting Business Goals and Objectives: Why and How to be SMART
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Otilia is a young certified professional with expertise in eMarketing and eBusiness, currently working as independent consultant and ePublisher. She developed and teach her own online course in "Principles of eMarketing" and is also a volunteer Economics teacher. You can contact her via her Marketing resources portal at TeaWithEdge.com

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S.M.A.R.T. Goals

(excerpted from the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan)

Jim Rohn's Second Pillar of Success: Goal-Setting, Part Three - S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Hi, Jim Rohn here. As you know, we are focused on the Second Pillar of Success this month - Goal-Setting.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

We have introduced the four main components of Goal-Setting:

1. Evaluation and Reflection.

The only way we can reasonably decide what we want in the future and how we will get there, is to first know where we are right now and secondly, what our level of satisfaction is for where we are in life. As we focus this month on goal-setting, our first order of business and our topic two weeks ago was evaluation and reflection.

2. Dreams and Goals.

What are your dreams and goals? Not related to the past or what you think you can get, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? This isn't something that someone else says you should have or what culture tells us successful people do or have. These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your own heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Last week we showed you exactly how to find out what you want from life.

3. S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

Specific: Don't be vague. Exactly what do you want?

Measurable: Quantify your goal. How will you know if you've achieved it or not?

Attainable: Be honest with yourself about what you can reasonably accomplish at this point in your life - along with taking into consideration your current responsibilities.

Realistic: It's got to be do-able, real and practical.

Time: Associate a timeframe with each goal. When should you complete the goal?

We will spend time this week looking at how to apply the S.M.A.R.T. test to your goals to make sure they are as powerful as they can be!

4. Accountability.

Think of the word "accountable." It means to "give an account." When someone knows what your goals are, they help hold you accountable. Whether it is someone else going through this program with you (have you thought about inviting a friend to join you on this one-year journey?) or just someone you can give the basic idea to, having a person who can hold you accountable will give you another added boost to getting your goals! Next week we will show you how to set up an accountability partner.

This week we will be discussing point 3 - S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

I really like this acronym S.M.A.R.T., because we want to be smart when we set our goals. We want to intelligently decide what our goals will be so that we can actually accomplish them. We want to set the goals that our heart conceives, that our mind believes and that our bodies will carry out. Let's take a closer look at each of the components of S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific: Goals are no place to waffle. They are no place to be vague. Ambiguous goals produce ambiguous results. Incomplete goals produce incomplete futures.

When we are specific, we harness the power of our dreams and set forces into action that empower us to achieve our goals. We then know exactly what it is we are shooting for. There is no question. As we establish our priorities and manage our time, we do so for a specific goal to achieve the results we expect. There is no wondering or guessing. The future is locked into our minds and we see it - specifically - and that is powerful! Never underestimate just how important it is to have very specific, concrete goals. They act as magnets that draw you toward them! A S.M.A.R.T. goal is specific.

Measurable: Always set goals that are measurable. I would say "specifically measurable" to take into account our principle of being specific as well. Our goals should be such that we know when we are advancing and by how much. Whether it is by hours, pounds, dollars or whatever, we should be able to see exactly how we are measuring up as we proceed through the journey of life using our goals. Could you imagine if you didn't measure your goals? You would never know which way you were going or even if you were going anywhere! A S.M.A.R.T. goal is measurable.

Attainable: One of the detrimental things that many people do - and they do it with good intentions - is to set goals that are so high they are unattainable. Yes, it is very important to set big goals that cause your heart to soar with excitement, but it is also imperative to make sure that they are attainable. In the next section we talk about being realistic. So what does it mean to be attainable? An attainable goal is one that is both realistic but also attainable in a shorter period of time than what you have to work with. Now when I say attainable, I don't mean easy. Our goals should be set so they are just out of our reach; so they will challenge us to grow as we reach forward to achieve them. After the next paragraph, I will give you an example of a goal that is both attainable and realistic. A S.M.A.R.T. goal is attainable.

Realistic: The root word of realistic is "real." A goal has to be something that we can reasonably make "real" or a "reality" in our lives. There are some goals that simply are not realistic. You have to be able to say, even if it is a tremendously stretching goal, that yes, indeed, it is entirely realistic -- that you could make it. You may even have to say that it will take x, y, and z to do it, but if those happen, then it can be done. This is in no way to say it shouldn't be a big goal, but it must be realistic. This is to a great degree, up to the individual. For one person a goal may be realistic, but for another unrealistic. I would encourage you to be very honest with yourself as you do your planning and evaluation. Perhaps it would be good to get a friend to help you (as long as that friend is by nature an optimist and not a pessimist). This can go a long way toward helping you know what is realistic. A S.M.A.R.T. goal is realistic.

Example of Attainable and Realistic: Knowing that perhaps you could use a bit of help differentiating attainable and realistic, here is an example: You are overweight and have 150 pounds to lose to get to your proper weight. Is that goal attainable? Yes, considering that you also make it realistic. For example, it isn't realistic to think you can do it in 5 months. 18-24 months would be realistic (with hard work). Thus, losing 150 pounds in 2 years is both attainable and realistic, while losing 150 pounds in 5 months is neither attainable nor realistic.

Time: Every goal should have a timeframe attached to it. I think that life itself is much more productive for us as humans because there is a timeframe connected to it. Could you imagine how much procrastination there would be on earth if people never died? We would never get "around to it." We could always put it off. One of the powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has an end, a time in which you are shooting to accomplish it. You start working on it because you know there is an end. As time goes by you work because you don't want to get behind. As it approaches, you work diligently because you want to meet the deadline. You may even have to break down a big goal into different measured parts time frames. That is okay. Set smaller goals and work them out in their own time. A S.M.A.R.T. goal has a timeline.

Be sure to spend some reflection time this week to make sure your goals fit the S.M.A.R.T. parameters. Go through the reflection questions below and the action points associated with them. Doing so will put a real engine in your goals and make them charged with power to help you accomplish your dreams.

Until next week, let's do something remarkable!

Jim Rohn

S.M.A.R.T. Goals
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Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine, go to [http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com]

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Using Goals to Grow in Nursing

Determining where someone would like to be, and how to get there in five to 10 years, takes much conscious effort, however, identifying goals that will help someone grow, whether it be educational, professional or personal is very important. Several steps are involved in order to be successful, such as, defining the goals, determining the optimum time frame and putting the plan into action. Combining personal beliefs and values into defined goals and refusing to turn away from these beliefs during difficult times will lead to feelings of true achievement once the goals are attained. With any serious goal, support systems and mentors must be determined and utilized, to avoid becoming overwhelmed when challenges arise. Chitty and Black (2007) states "Make sure your goals and expectations are realistic. Unrealistic goals are self-defeating. Make sure the goals are measurable, manageable, and meaningful to you, not to please somebody else." (Chapter 10, p. 266).

Nursing philosophy is clearly understanding your personal truths, thoughts and goals and determining how they relate to your professional career as a nurse. Each nurse has unique experiences that influence his or her personal choice of profession, but in general, nurses are drawn to the profession because of the nurturing characteristics that the profession embraces. My philosophy of nursing may vary from other nurses depending on their culture, religion or ethnicity, but the combination of the diversities makes nursing special. In my personal view, the nursing profession is a highly respectable profession, which should always place the holistic care and concern of the patient as the top priority. Continuing education is mandatory for nurses to be able to provide high quality of care and to provide the latest improved treatment techniques. Whether through treating, teaching, advocating or supporting, patient care is directly impacted through nursing care on a daily basis. Nurses also must accept the responsibility of leading others in the care of patients in order to maintain a high quality continuity of care.

Baccalaureate prepared nurses are better prepared to accept positions that require more leadership skills. Obtaining the Baccalaureate degree also shows commitment to the profession, which shows strength to the employer. As stated by Cynthia O'Neal (2004), "In today's health care environment, baccalaureate nurses must be prepared to use essential leadership skills to manage and coordinate teams of care." The increased amount of training that is focused on nursing ethics, nursing foundations and history, and nursing professionalism promotes the knowledge to organize the responsibilities of several team members successfully, without appearing overbearing. Providing this leadership may not be overly accepted by everyone on the team, and may in turn cause temporary conflict, however, in order for the team to function in an efficient and organized manner, and provide the practice with a productive department, and the patient with high quality of care, this is a change that must take place.

Using Goals to Grow in Nursing

With any growth, there will be challenges and barriers. Choosing strong mentors is a very important step in reaching goals. Victor Ghebre (Dec, 2008), instructs us to "find a mentor or someone who can inspire you in the area of personal development, and try to associate yourself with other people who are on the path to self growth." During the education experience, academic advisors or facilitators are wonderful mentors, and during the professional career experience, introducing yourself to staff development coordinators, physicians and management staff can facilitate introductions to such mentors. Having a strong support system within the personal relationships of our daily lives is also important. With growth, growing pains will happen, and having support during difficult times will encourage the growth to continue. Having a healthy expectation of the challenges that may be present and a plan of action will lessen the effect when these challenges occur. Family, and the responsibilities that family involves, is a large challenge to overcome when attempting to grow in a professional aspect. Learning to meet these responsibilities satisfactorily, while working toward professional goals is possible.

Identifying goals and becoming committed to achieving these goals lead to life changing events, bringing satisfaction and personal fulfillment. People are surrounded by goals from birth, learning to walk and talk, to planning for life after retirement or even death. Continually setting new goals and attempting to achieve them is what prevents complacence. For some, complacence may be the goal, but for others, setting new goals is a means of growth, and growth is necessary in embracing life. Goals do not have to be anything as important as a new profession. Goals can be as simple as deciding to start walking daily, and planning where to walk, or making a goal to learn to sew. Making realistic goals and attempting to attain these goals while abiding within certain beliefs and values introduces several areas that continue to add value to life, such as special friends, strong support systems and learning to overcome challenges. Goals are an important part in life in that it promotes growth, and combining professional goals with personal goals can create holistic peace within self and family.

References:

Chitty, K. K., Black, B. P. (2007). Professional nursing concepts and challenges. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. St. Louis, MO: Saunders, Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2009, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, NUR391- Professional Nursing Practice website.

Ghebre, Victor (December 1, 2008) How to obtain important life goals to help you grow. Retrieved March 17, 2009 from http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/how-to-obtain-important-life-goals-to-help-you-grow-666497.html,  

O'Neal, Cynthia.  (November 2004). Creating Leadership Skills in Fundamental Courses. Journal of Nursing Education 43(11), 524.  Retrieved March 19, 2009, from Career and Technical Education database. (Document ID: 739662121).

Using Goals to Grow in Nursing
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Gail Scarlett is a Registered Nurse and an aspiring college student in the process of obtaining her Masters in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner degree. She has worked as a nurse for 14 years, working mostly with Oncology patients. Her goal is to have a private practice, offering care to family medicine patient as well as oncology patients.

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