Okay so you've been contemplating on YOUR ( business, or life)  major WHAT's and goals for 2010.

 You've even gone so far as to visualize them realized, seeing and feeling them. Now before you head off plotting like a wild woman, or man to figure out HOW. Before you get all caught up in your strategy underwear let me give you permission to pause, step back and take a big lamaze breath. Okay your a man, these breaths begin in the stomach not in the nasal passages… 

It's gut check time!

I love it when a strategist  (I am one) identifies a new goal or objective and get's all strategy confounded. You know wrapped up in HOW, HOW, WHEN and WHERE and takes off like a bat out of hell to create the entire plan; quickly. 

I have nothing against strategy. It's essential but strategy results from a firm, clear foundation of what the heck we are doing and why. Premature strategy is like everything else that is premature, less than ideal. So take it from a girl that's done plenty of premature strategy…It's time to question that belief that after WHAT ( the goal/objective) comes how….

In my more Pollyanna days, when I was responsible for 45+ unique marketing plans per quarter I too was an underwear, tied up, strategically linear; how to'er; fixated on getting to the goal.

Well, after 20 some years of building businesses, ventures and companies focusing on how, I finally woke up to the reality that HOW was not where I needed to focus and slowly but surely I morphed from a linear how to'er to a wholistic creator, orchestrator and conductor of the creation process.

Now, whether your goal is to achieve a personal objective,  scale a company international or create a new venture  the key is for you and your team to spend time with the most important questions first before you send anyone, including yourself off into linear, tactical assault, execution mode. 

So first- begin with WHAT's that matter ( goals, objectives)

1. What is important; vital critical to achieve; manifest; do, be, have this year?

Then  clarify WHAT _ WHAT is…

2. What will be the evidence, markers of success that witness to the fact you did in fact realize this intention, goal; the WHAT"s you set out to achieve, accomplish.

NOW,  ask  WHY …………WHY……………WHY; must we achieve, do, be, have this?

What is the compelling why, that demands this goal, objective be achieved now? 

Ask yourself and anyone else involved in this goal; why, why…?

Every great thing I've ever accomplished has had a compelling why. Matter of fact, as I look around, backwards mostly, into history it appears most great feats, accomplishments had at their root a ver compelling WHY.

So WHY? Why would you spend your precious resources ; personal or of your companies pursuing this end, this goal?

 Is it apart of your vision, purpose, passion, it reflects your values? You can't not do it? WHY. And WHY NOW?

As soon as you have a very clear COMPELLING WHY. You are ready to ask the next question…WHO?

Yes …I'll be talking about WHO next….and why WHO…is before HOW!

Pam Hoelzle