A Bit of a Story
What We Deliver
Special Projects
The Shop
Contact

In the last blog post on LinkedIn… Charting Course III… we explored SMASH and MESH™.   As noted previously, SMASH™ engages the development of strategy, with the lens of character in particular.  MESH™ brings it and us together, on the same page. 

For today, I add my own examples in progress and invite you to create your own SMASH and MESH™.  Consider these nine elements now.  Think of them as  a personally and humbly created gift for the New Year from me to you.

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS

SPIRIT.  Define the spirit of what you do… your countenance with which you will roll and role.  Identify your Humble Swagger™ by focusing on 5 strengths of character that will define how you roll in all that you do.  This is your ultimate brand… how others know you.

  • For 2016, I will walk with humble swagger with the strengths of honor, idealism, love, wholeheartedness and zeal.

MISSION. Clearly identify your WHY.  Laurie Beth Jones once said that a great mission should be one sentence, easily understood and easily memorized.  It must be clear and “tangible” in some powerful way.

  • For 2016, I will walk these strengths of character in becoming stronger and healthier than I have ever been.

ACTIONS.  Here, you would lay claim to 3-5 core activities or actions that manifest your spirit and mission.  This is where the rubber hits the road.  This is what you do to make real your spirit and mission.  This is the integrity piece; integrating daily action to achieve mission.

  • For 2016, to achieve this spirit and mission, I will get 8 hours sleep each night, make healthy choices for groceries at home every week, choose water and green tea as my regular beverage,  be active daily in some fun way and engage in daily prayer and meditation in the morning and evening.

SUCCESS. Here, you define success… not in terms of outcomes but effort.  Some aspect of outcomes is out of our hands.  Effort is not.  Here, you define what success looks like in clear language, defined by effort.

  • In 2016, my success will be defined and measured by a daily account of my spirit and achievements at eventide.

HAPPINESS.  Finally, you define how you will make the journey joyful.  To achieve long term success, we must find ways to enjoy the ride.  Get clear on how you will do that.

  • In 2016, I will enjoy the ride by “celebrating” each daily success in some mini personal and creative and random way.

Now, how might this relate to my relationships and engagements throughout 2016?  How does it MESH™ with others and life?

MEANING.  For the classroom, campus, company or community, get clear on what the spirit and mission mean for everyone.  Everyone has to understand and buy in to the sense of “being”.  Get real and get engaged by exploring the meaning of who you are and what you do.  Real language.

  • In 2016, this means I will be stronger, healthier and happier, to engage those around me with greater energy and joy… and I will call upon the encouragement of my inner circle in doing so.  We will all be better for it.

EXECUTION.  Effectively and clearly define how the plan will be executed.  This is about articulating the actions and behaviors necessary for achieving both spirit and mission (the BE and the DO).

  • I will effectively implement and execute with a literal picture of my goal, daily living of my four actions, daily accounting of my success and daily celebrating each small success; creating a culture of act, measure and celebrate.

SERVICE.  Here, you get clear on who and how this serves… all stakeholders… clients, colleagues and constituencies.  This is where you answer what is in it for all.  Here, is the ultimate buy in.

  • This will serve my students, my clients, my colleagues, my suppliers, my friends and family, and myself… by advancing my strength, health, clarity of thought and joy to better serve.

HONOR.  Finally, we define how our efforts will honor who we are… how our efforts and destination celebrate all engaged.  The HONOR piece is about how we feel along the journey; how we are valued.

  • This plan will honor who I am because I have always been driven, at core, by joyful service and I want to be around for a long time in doing so, with sustained energy, vitality and endurance.  I will feel more like me in doing so; a deeper cooler joy that is both sustainable and sustaining.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.

For 2016, I will walk with humble swagger with the strengths of honor, idealism, love, wholeheartedness and zeal. I will walk these strengths of character in becoming stronger and healthier than I have ever been. To achieve this spirit and mission, I will get 8 hours sleep each night, make healthy choices for groceries at home every week, choose water and green tea as my regular beverage,  be active daily in some fun way and engage in daily prayer and meditation in the morning and evening. In 2016, my success will be defined and measured by a daily account of my spirit and achievements at eventide.  I will enjoy the ride by “celebrating” each daily success in some mini personal and creative and random way.

In 2016, this means I will be stronger, healthier and happier, to engage those around me with greater energy and joy… and I will call upon the encouragement of my inner circle in doing so.  We will all be better for it.  I will effectively implement and execute with a literal picture of my goal, daily living of my four actions, daily accounting of my success and daily celebrating each small success; creating a culture of act, measure and celebrate.  This will serve my students, my clients, my colleagues, my suppliers, my friends and family, and myself… by advancing my strength, health, clarity of thought and joy to better serve.  This plan will honor who I am because I have always been driven, at core, by joyful service and I want to be around for a long time in doing so, with sustained energy, vitality and endurance.  I will feel more like me in doing so; a deeper cooler joy that is both sustainable and sustaining.

border

So, how about you?  I ask that you ponder these elements and how they might relate to a goal for you in 2016.  Craft your vision of spirit, mission, action, success and happiness.  Craft what it will mean to you and others, how you will daily execute it, how it will serve others and how it will honor you.  Consider what you truly want to achieve in 2016 and ponder how these elements might strengthen your clarity.

In coming posts, we will be exploring specific strengths of character and how they impact personal and professional leadership; and goal achievement.

Hope you join us.

Peace, passion and prosperity.

Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy™

Barry Lewis Green is The Unity Guy™.  EPIC Engage™ is an extension of The Unity Guy™. The EPIC work is all about forging youthful, engaging and strong cultures of excellence born of character, capacity and creativity… for results; moving forward together, stronger.  That fosters powerful synergy and real unity… through joyful excellence.  That is what he calls Humble Swagger™; and Barry champions it!