In my world, the fiscal year 2011 has begun. And as usual, it’s time to make resolutions only in this case my resolutions are going to be my particular MBO based goals. Unlike resolutions, I can’t just forget about them until next July (well I could, but then I wouldn’t be gainfully employed come end of F’11).
A few years back during one of my performance reviews I received a bit of feedback that I initially didn’t like and pretty much thought was foolish. It took a few interesting projects to help shift my point view. My director strongly suggested that I start applying the 80/20 principal. Simply put, instead of striving for 100% perfection all the time, get the project to the 80% mark, execute and pick up the 20% on the backside.
It’s at this point that I want to confess that I’m a perfectionist and I thought she was absolutely crazy. However, I’m also pragmatic. Hell, I wanted to exceed my goals for the next year and if this required a shift in thinking, well then, so be it.
Fast forward to a conversation that I just had with my new director, I actually said during our weekly one-on-one “Let’s just get to the 80% mark and we’ll get the 20 on the backside, our team is more than capable and we’ll beat the competition.”
Never thought I say that, let alone believe it.
