AIM much?
Personal development learnings from a former Googler
Fire, Ready, Aim! How many of you heard this saying in your business from colleagues? The intention behind moving fast in business is usually good; time to market, increase revenue, outpace competitors’ innovations, bolster the company mission, etc. Plus, it’s exciting to work on new concepts! Willow, my company mascot and a pitbull rescue, equates working on the ‘new thing’ to her version of a squirrel. Most are distracted by “it” and most want to chase “it” with reckless abandon. Like I mentioned, the intention behind moving fast is positive! In your experience, what happens? That’s right, you know. The questions start. How does this align / compliment the product portfolio? What’s the supply chain? Can manufacturing or engineering accommodate this with their current cross-company priorities? How will this be marketed? What’s the price point and is it profitable? Who will train our sales force and partner channel? Do we have anyone with the skill set to develop this? And, oh by the way, leadership wants to launch this in time for the next busy season, since ‘we’ pre-announced it at the most recent customer event. I may be exaggerating or maybe not, does this sound familiar? I’ve seen (and been a part of) some herculean efforts in these situations. And, I’ve seen a lot of miscommunication, frustration and burnout. A common feedback theme is lack of clarity and/or understanding of the vision and strategy. Do you know where you are going and why?
As a business executive, I know the value in having a clear vision and strategy. I also know the value in communicating it throughout the organization and testing for understanding and alignment. Ironically, many business people, my past self included, don’t spend the same amount of time or effort in establishing a personal vision and strategy for our careers. It’s more like Fire, Ready, Aim. It’s equivalent to flying a plane without a flight plan or building your dream home without a blueprint.
Some people were in the right place at the right time and truly love what they do. They are OK with working hard and ‘trusting’ that opportunities will present themselves. They are happy with where they are for the time being. There are also those people that are crystal clear on who they want to become and why, along with a plan on how to get there. There also are those struggling to figure out what they want to do. Maybe you can relate to those types? Establishing a career AIM and goal can help you focus.
What is a career AIM? How is an AIM different from a goal? Why are both essential?
A career AIM (capitalizing for importance) is like a business vision. It answers the question(s) what and who do you want to become and why is it important to you? It sets a defined direction. If you get stuck on the word ‘career’, substitute life purpose. I like to tell my clients it’s like your North Star. It’s always there, you can navigate by it, it hardly changes. Your career AIM pulls you toward what you value in a career. Dream. Go BIG. It’s best to write it in present tense with a bit of a narrative.
Your career goal is similar to a business strategy. The career goal outlines the specifics of the what, how and when you will achieve your next career objective. It incorporates measures, just like a business strategy. It tests the market (so to speak), just like a business strategy. And, you’ll set your next career objective when you reach 90% of your current career goal. Career goal setting is analogous to annual business planning. For many business owners / leaders, you wouldn’t think of starting a fiscal year without revisiting your vision (to inform your objectives) and without a strategy, would you?
An AIM with a defined goal builds career momentum. An AIM without a goal or a goal without an AIM is suboptimal. Lack of clarity in either can lead to frustration, confusion and general career dissatisfaction over time. Make the investment of time to do this important work and measure the personal impact regularly. I’m excited to hear about your ROI (Return on Investment). Yours in balance, learning, growth and harmony. – Melissa DeLuca, CEO
