Have you ever been to a meeting without an agenda? Worse still, without a clear objective? Do you have your life’s agenda in place? I am sure each one of us has at least once in their lifetime (if we are lucky) been to such a meeting. For a lot of us, such meetings could be an everyday phenomenon and are most certainly a waste of time.
For a meeting to yield maximum benefits, an agenda is a prerequisite. Agendas not only structure the nature of discussions held, but it also helps in managing the time allocated. Plus it guides in the selection of participants to be invited for the meeting.
Are there times you have been invited to a meeting and found that you were not relevant to the agenda in discussion? How did it feel? I suspect some of those “Sorry, I have to drop off” or “I have to join another meeting.” This usually happens on zoom calls people feel does not add value to their time. Just some of the silent advantages of the digital world! Wink, Wink!
Equally important, my grandpa was one man who was fond of calling family meetings. And while you would not expect to see an agenda at a family meeting, his authoritarian style of parenting would not allow him to host a meeting without one.
Every weekend, my mum and her siblings were expected to congregate in the kitchen area to discuss ‘pertinent family issues’. These ranged from which child was well on their way to being the family physician to which family member dominated the village rumor mill that week. You can imagine the pressure to align to the set family standards.
Having an agenda gives direction. Nobody likes being in a situation that is seemingly time wasting. Every time we participate in a meeting without a clear objective or agenda, we are allowing others to misuse our time.
So, if we are so keen to guard our time by attending the right meetings with the right agenda, why then would we not guard our lives by having an ‘agenda’ that serves our own personal interests?
Our lives remain unguarded every time we do not have a clear vision that we are working towards. Running a meeting without an agenda is the same as going through life without a vision. Before you get started on anything in life, you must know where you want to go. You must consider what you want to accomplish, otherwise, you will find yourself making great strides but in the wrong direction.
To effectively guard your life and fully embrace your life’s agenda here are a couple of tips to help you own who you are and meet your personal interests.
Define your Personal Vision => Meeting objective
Defining your personal vision is the first and most important building block to establishing a Personal Brand. Your vision gives you direction. Your vision looks at the bigger picture seeking to answer the questions: What does my dream look like? What do I want to be known for?
Understanding these questions means understanding where you want to go. Whether we like it or not, life is a journey, and we are constantly in motion. The question we each must answer therefore becomes: “In which direction am I moving?” You do not want to get to the top only to find that you are at the wrong summit. Can you imagine sitting through a taxation meeting while the objective was to be part of the product development meeting?
Define your Personal Improvement Goals => Meeting discussion Items
Your vision needs action to take off. This action is driven by the day-by-day goals you draw up to ensure you accomplish your personal vision. When the improvement goals are well articulated, your focus is maintained and the end goal met. And just like the agenda will help you avoid wasting time on small talk, a clear focus on your performance goals will help you avoid distractions from accomplishing your vision.
Personal Accountability Partners => Meeting Participants
Do you have a team of people that can hold you accountable to your plans? Who understand what you value most in your personal and professional life? For growth, having an accountability partner ensures you remain driven to deliver to your vision.
Just like the most fruitful meetings are those in which the participants understand their responsibility, the best expeditions are those taken in the company of trusted friends and family. Do you have a partner who shows genuine interest in your life’s expeditions and can celebrate your wins with you while supporting you through your struggles?
Personal Available Resources => Meeting Time
Do you understand the important resources you need to get ahead? The availability of resources you have in your control should help you focus on what matters most to your vision. You have a finite amount of time and resources to accomplish what you have set in place, why not commit your time to the agenda that will give you the highest return.
This week, own your life’s agenda to own your #personalbrand. It’s just one of the ways you get to #Standout4Growth.
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