A Goal Setting Success Story by Ruby Newell-Legner

By Ruby Newell-Legner, CSP

Time to Reflect and Celebrate

As we end another year it is always nice to reflect back on what has happened and celebrate a few things. Just last week I experienced a great deal of personal gratification as I worked with a client in Georgia.

I have presented numerous programs for this agency over the last 5 years. For the last 3 years, I met with the leadership team to facilitate their annual department retreat.

The first year we established guidelines for improving their workplace environment. We outlined specific standards for internal communication and identified how they could demonstrate support for each other.

The next year, we worked to line up their department's vision with the more global Strategic Plan for their organization.

This year we met to celebrate their progress and to outline their specific department goals for 2005.

It was such an honor to be there through the years and celebrate their growth as a team. After this retreat, I almost feel like a proud parent watching a child receive a diploma and go off to college.

In the beginning, this group had team members who disliked each other and really had no desire to support any other person or goal in their department.

Last week, I saw a dedicated, supportive group with each team member focused on supporting the vision of the department and the entire community.

If you read this far, perhaps you expected me to spill the beans on how they did it. It is no deep dark secret…they worked at it. They chose to make the changes necessary to become a team.

So often I see people who are miserable and stuck in a rut just because they won't be the one to step forward and make some changes. They can't seem to see how their contribution will make a difference for the team so they don't even try. It appears almost like they enjoy being stuck in their rut.

If you are feeling stuck, perhaps this activity will help you see your way out. As you prepare for the year ahead, ask yourself the following questions:

1) What happens in our workplace that really bothers me?

2) What is it that I do that bothers other people in our workplace?

3) What steps have I taken to address Question #1 and Question #2?

4) What could I do to improve the situation?

5) What support does my supervisor need to make it a better place to work?

I asked these questions to one person who had changed the most from this organization in Georgia and here are her responses:

1) What happens in our workplace that really bothers me?

The negativity and complaining makes me hate the thought of coming to work each day.

2) What is it that I do that bothers other people in our workplace?

I complain about everyone and everything.

3) What steps have I taken to address Question #1 and Question #2?

I decided that I needed to be the one to change and became the role model for how I thought it should be at work. And I quit complaining.

4) What could I do to improve the situation?

Take a leadership role and help motivate others to change the work environment.

5) What support does my supervisor need to make it a better place to work?

I need to be more supportive of the direction she is trying to take us. I need to realize that I am a key person to help make a difference in our department.

I now hear positive communication and collaboration coming from every person in that leadership team and quite frankly, if you could have seen this group 5 years ago you wouldn't have believed it was the same people. Congratulations to the Parks and Community Services Department for the City of Decatur, GA. You have come together as a team on a mission to have a positive impact on our community. You are well on your way to making a difference!

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Ruby Newell-Legner, Certified Speaking Professional, is considered the pre-eminent Customer Satisfaction Expert in the Leisure Industry today. For over two decades Ruby has been helping organizations make exceptional customer service a way of life.

A Goal Setting Success Story!