It’s that time of the year when the dinosaur companies that haven’t evolved beyond the monolithic annual performance review process kick off their 6 monthly performance checkpoint. I work for one of these dinosaurs and with this in mind thought I’d share progress on my personal goals for 2019:
- Get creative
- Get a new job
- Be healthy
- Increase focus on learning and professional development
Get creative
I set myself a goal to “get creative”. By exercising the right-side of my brain I hoped to get the creative juices flowing in my professional life and aid problem solving. I decided to focus on drawing and photography.
- Drawing – It’s not my forte but I took a couple of classes over the New Year break. I haven’t continued drawing – definitely room for improvement.
- Photography – I’m enjoying photography. I take photos of whatever grabs my attention – trees, flowers, raindrops, cobwebs… I’ve started seeing the world in terms of lighting and composition – although some things I think will make good photos don’t, and other times I’m surprised when an off-the-cuff shot makes a great photo.
- Blog – A late addition to the list but one I’m very happy to have accomplished. I’m enjoying the routine of regular writing and the opportunity to use my photography in my posts.
I don’t know if these pursuits have improved creative thinking in my professional life however they have been fun and rewarding.
Get a new job
I’m still working on this one. I currently work for a US Fortune 500 company and while I’ve enjoyed my time here (for the most part), I’ve outgrown my current role and don’t have opportunities for career advancement.
I’ve better adapted my CV for the roles I’m applying for and have reconnected with some people in my network. While the outcome isn’t completely within my control, I’ve increased my focus on applying for roles.
Be healthy
I need to be more disciplined in this area. I enjoy the physical and mental benefits from regular exercise. (I get grumpy if I go too many days without my endorphin hit.) I’ve focused on stamina and distance running this year. I was running a steady 10km along the waterfront once a week, with an additional 8km run at a steadier pace come rain, shine or frost. And a 30 minute bike ride to pad out the week. My running dropped back to once a week when I was directed to decrease my outstanding leave balance. I need to get back to making exercise a more regular feature in my week.
Increase focus on learning and development
Last year I (accidentally) co-founded a mastermind group based around self-directed learning and peer mentoring. It gave me the professional development opportunities my role was lacking. I’ve continued my involvement in this group through 2019 and am happy with the learnings I’ve undertaken so far this year.
Self-Assessment
I’ve made good progress on some of my goals and need to course correct on others. Specific areas I need to focus on are getting a new job and maintaining motivation for exercise when my timetable is erratic.
While my current employer runs an annual performance review programme, I’ve also worked in start-ups that didn’t have a transparent review process. Neither is ideal. And frankly a performance discussion with my manager every 6 months that focuses on historical events that aren’t relevant to my current performance is somewhat destructive. I believe there’s a third alternative where performance feedback can be provided in a more constructive, and less formal and time-consuming format. I like Marshall Goldsmith’s concept of “feed forward” that has been popularised by some of the more progressive companies.
There’s a lesson here for me in “walking the talk”. Rather than a 6 monthly check-in on my personal goals, I need to model the approach I’d like to see in my professional life. I don’t have the details mapped out but it includes making progress on my goals visible, course correct and adjusting my goals more frequently.
Photo: Crazy bright pink jellyfish at the Singapore S.E.A Aquarium.
Sideways Trajectory 