The strategy behind the act
All too often we attend seminars, conferences, even self guided learning and for the moment, we are in a blissful state of knowledge, growth and wisdom. Then we fly home, drive to the hotel, close the computer or book and are left with no plan of action; no strategy for use for this acquired knowledge other than ‘using’ it.
I recently attended a Leadership Conference in Florida, where John Maxwell, an authority on leadership, spoke to this very subject.
After building principles into the audience for growth in leadership, he said (and I’m paraphrasing) Now what? How will you maximize on the tools you’ve been given? How will you actually implement these morsels of truth going forward? To which he responded with the following:
ACT
Ok…there’s more to it than that.
A is apply. This is something that you are not currently practicing. Whether on paper, tablet, iPad or computer…create a column to mark that you need to keep applying these things to your life, to business, to your finances.
C is Change. This is something that you’ve realized that you may be currently doing wrong. Change is a difficult one because it may be personal, it may be a process, it may be a job or career. These are things we recognize of ourselves, or actions we take during the day. Recognize them. Change them.
T is Teach. As you can see, I was an astute listener. Those points that seem so good that you have to share them with your team, your colleagues, or maybe even on a blog to your readers is marked with a T.
Strategy is something we’re all familiar with. Many have been credited with the following statement, but I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. We pay hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars (never mind the time away from family, the office, other engagements) to glean wisdom, and too often I will be the first to say that I have squandered it…at least for a time.
If we are to become continual learners, ACT on your notes to make the most of them!