by Mandy Green, University of South Dakota
The idea is a good one:
Set personal goals for the New Year, and then carry them out. That’s a great idea for coaches, as well.
The problem I find is that coaches are so busy, going in so many directions, and pressed by “more important” matters that they don’t get around to serious goal setting. But it’s important, and it can result in better performance for you as a college coach and recruiter.
Go back and take a look at the New Year’s Resolutions that you set just a few weeks ago for 2012. Are you still working on them? Or have you already gone back to your old ways of doing things and decided that you will try again next year?
Hopefully you are still working on accomplishing your goals for this year. If not, I hate to say it but you are not the only coach out there who failed to keepyour resolutions.
A big reason so many New Year’s Resolutions fail within the first week is that the focus is on the “what” instead of the “why” and the “how.”
The first question to ask yourself when making New Year’s Resolutions is “why” am I making these goals in the first place? The second question to ask yourself is “how” am I going to make this resolution a reality?
For example, if your resolution is to “mange my time better in the office so I can spend more time with my family,” maybe you should look to the root cause of the problem:
• I get into the office late
• I spend too much time emailing
• I get distracted easily
• I spend too much time gossiping with fellow coaches
• I’m not organized
• I have too many things to get done
• I get interrupted a lot during the day
Once you have identified the “why” for each resolution, create specific personal resolves for behavior change from there.
Here are a few specific resolves:
• I will get into the office 1 hour before the rest of the staff arrives
• I will only check my email twice a day
• I will create a personal, team, and recruiting plan
• I will make to-do lists to make sure the important things are getting done
Here’s a helpful exercise if you’re serious about achieving your goals for 2012:
1. For each goal you created for this upcoming season or year, make a list of the “why’s.” What is the real reason you want to achieve this goal?
2. Come up with specific behavioral changes you are willing to make in order to make each resolution a reality.
3. Commit an hour a day to spend on working on your goal and get to work.
When it comes to the goals you are trying to accomplish this year, I recommend keeping it simple. Make sure your goals are attainable. And, most of all, write them down. Goals that are written down and placed where you can see them on a regular basis will get achieved.
Goal setting is the easy part. Committing to spending time each day working on your goals is tough for coaches because there are so many things to get done.
Goals are important for your personal and professional development. Take them seriously as we head into the new year.
Mandy Green is the author of a soon to be released organizational book and calendar specifically designed for college recruiters. She will also be speaking at the National Collegiate Recruiting Conference this Summer. Click here for more information on being a part of this informative weekend of cutting-edge recruiting techniques!