{"id":8750,"date":"2012-09-23T10:07:36","date_gmt":"2012-09-23T17:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=8750"},"modified":"2012-09-24T09:45:46","modified_gmt":"2012-09-24T16:45:46","slug":"creating-a-no-excuse-zone-around-you-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=8750","title":{"rendered":"Creating a \u201cNo Excuse Zone\u201d around you Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Below is Part 3 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing\u00a0 trade.\u00a0 Part 1 and 2 describes examples of how we inadvertently make excuses for our lack of progress in certain areas of our careers.<\/p>\n

Part 3 offers several steps toward creating \u2018No Excuse Zones\u201d in our home, office and thinking. For more examples that fit your specific work environment, please feel free to contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info<\/a><\/p>\n

We all have \u2018excuses\u2019 as part of our normal, default speaking and thinking patterns.\u00a0 It\u2019s normal.\u00a0 It\u2019s human.\u00a0 We often entertain ourselves with stories of how we got to where we \u2018don\u2019t want to be\u2019.\u00a0 We do not readily acknowledge these stories as \u2018excuses\u2019 or blaming something or someone external to ourselves for our predicament; we\u2019re simply \u2018explaining\u2019 ourselves.\u00a0 But the longer we stay in the \u2018explaining\u2019 stage of the current situation; the longer we are stalled and not making forward progress.<\/p>\n

As you can see in part 1 and part 2 of this article, there are endless ways to take control over your own calendar and time.\u00a0 Using external people and event as excuses for your lack of progress is very natural but not very beneficial.\u00a0 We won\u2019t be able to totally avoid our very natural and human reactions to things.\u00a0 But we can continually improve upon are recognition of what is more beneficial in moving us forward faster.<\/p>\n

Beginning steps toward NO EXCUST ZONE thinking:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Step 1) Create several NO EXC– USE ZONES <\/strong>in your home, office and social environments.<\/p>\n

These places will be designated as \u201cNO EXC– USE ZONES\u201d.<\/strong>\u00a0 These are places where you are deliberately on the lookout for excuses in your speech and in others.\u00a0 It will be in these places where \u201cexcuses\u201d will no longer be acceptable.<\/p>\n

You can place a \u201cNO EXC– USE ZONE\u201d<\/strong> sign to warn co-workers, friends and family that you have kicked-up your game.\u00a0 It will be at these places that you practice your new-found energy, focus, and purpose.<\/p>\n

When you detect \u201cdefensive\u201d speech from yourself and others, diplomatically challenge the thought as an assumption, a false premise or even an irrelevant truth.\u00a0 Just because something is factual doesn\u2019t make it beneficial or useful.\u00a0 There are lots of truths that are simply immaterial to forward progress or solutions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Step 2) Review your emails and reports in search of \u2018excuses\u2019 or anything that seems like blame or defensiveness.<\/p>\n

If you feel you are explaining yourself, STOP. <\/strong>\u00a0This is often an indication that you are feeling defensive about something.\u00a0 Simply accept the current situation, describe where you really want to be, and describe several options on how to achieve those goals. Remember, just because something happened just the way you described doesn\u2019t make that information useful or beneficial.<\/p>\n

Think about a GPS system.\u00a0 The GPS system doesn\u2019t care how you got to your current position.\u00a0 The GPS system only focuses on where you want to go.\u00a0 Be the GPS for your IT organization. Wear your GPS badge proudly to remind yourself and others of your team purpose.<\/p>\n

Step 3) Create your personal and professional Non-Negotiable list<\/p>\n

If you desire a happy and prosperous life, then take time to outline your non-negotiable for a happy and prosperous life.\u00a0 Create a chart of things you need to include in your Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly life.\u00a0 Then recreate your Daily, Weekly, Quarterly and Yearly routine that includes your non-negotiables.<\/p>\n

Below is an example.\u00a0 They are not necessarily detail or specific.\u00a0 They can be anything that you feel will create a happy existence for yourself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Daily<\/strong><\/td>\nWeekly<\/strong><\/td>\nMonthly<\/strong><\/td>\nQuarterly<\/strong><\/td>\nYearly<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Daily think of ways to add value to my team, department and company.\u00a0 Daily think like the CEP or owner.<\/td>\nCreate my weekly-accomplishment report of things I plan to accomplish NEXT WEEK.\u00a0 Identify what I plan to put in my accomplishment folder for the following week.<\/td>\nPlan out the list of mentors, executives, managers that I would like to meet and work with in the coming month.\u00a0 Create my networking strategy to include these people.<\/td>\nConduct a lecture, presentation or speaking engagement at a local professional organization or user group meeting.Bring back sales leads to the marketing group.<\/td>\nPresent a paper or lecture at a Conference or Trade Show.Bring back sales leads to the marketing group.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Continually update a folder of all my accomplishments, accommodations, and recognition (in preparation for performance review).\u00a0 If I don\u2019t have anything to place in there, I create a situation that will generate a worthy accomplishment.\u00a0 I request \u201cthank you\u201d notes from co-workers, etc.<\/td>\nKeep my team updated on my various projects and priorities<\/td>\nIf I received an \u201caverage\u201d rating last year, then I conduct informal performance reviews with my management chain to make sure I\u2019m exceeding expectations<\/td>\nIf I received an \u201cabove average\u201d rating last year, then I conduct informal performance reviews quarterly with my management chain to make sure I\u2019m exceeding expectations<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Some type of exercise\/tone\/strength<\/td>\nSocialize at least 3 times a week (Wed, Fri, Sunday)<\/td>\nOnce or twice a month meet withLike-minded thinking (think-tank) discussions Could be one person or a professional organization.<\/td>\nGo out of town:Visit someone out of townOr a out of town seminar–Essence of getting away<\/td>\nSpend a special weekend associated with my favorite hobby<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is Part 3 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing trade. Part 1 and 2 describes examples of how we inadvertently make excuses for our lack of progress in certain areas of our careers. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1508,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6,1,855,847,848,849],"tags":[195,39,33,64,1370,17,38],"class_list":["post-8750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-leadership","category-communications","category-miscellaneous","category-pmbok-process-executing","category-self-leadership","category-1-1-leadership","category-team-leadership","tag-accountability","tag-best-practices","tag-common-sense","tag-communication","tag-leadership","tag-lessons-learned","tag-project-management"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1508"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8750"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10617,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8750\/revisions\/10617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}