2010: What Matters Now: WHO before HOW!

As I reflect on this past year and prepare for the next I am taking myself and my clients through a

series of questions that I have been sharing over the past week or so. After successfully identifying

WHAT matters most in 2010 in life and biz, we then drilled down and defined WHAT had to happen

for the WHAT's (goals) that mattered to be achieved, realized. At work I call these success markers;

the evidence that gives witness to the fact that we reached the goal, the objective. Next up I put

each WHAT, goal, objective through the filter of WHY? WHY did it matter and WHY was it a priority,

important to me or my venture in 2010? I call this my COMPELLING WHY. If I don't have a

compelling WHY, I'm doing something in any area of work or life I quite honestly can't sustain the

investment. I mused about this in my last blog post, I've done plenty of unsustainable things in my

life and now as I enter this year I've committed to ONLY investing in things that truly MATTER to

me, that I have a compelling WHY for. If you want a great example of a compelling WHY click here

for becoming a triathlete extrodinaire in the second half of his life….his son. The Hoyt's story is one I

go to whenever I am confused as to whether or not I have a compelling WHY, for what I am

choosing to do.

Now….if there is a compelling WHY….( values, vision, purpose, passion, loved one's, calling..) then I

move to the next question. Yes, alot of time's WHAT's and goals I thought were essential end up

getting filtered out, through this process.

1. What Matters Now?

2. What must happen for me to achieve, experience, have, do, be the WHAT? (goals, objectives)

3. What is the COMPELLING WHY; WHY does this matter, WHY must I invest my life, resources in this?

Now….

4. WHO-Who are the people, team, alliances, partners, collaborators, communities whom can help

and support me in this endeavor/goal/objective/WHAT!

You've read Built to Last and Good to Great, by Jim Collins right ? I love this guy, so much I've gone

to some extent to attend his in person speaking engagements and I am a believer in most

everything he has said or says. ( How did this happen-?) Collins very clearly outlines why he believes

'first who, then where.'" Collins contends that it matters more who we put on the bus then where

the bus is going, currently. With the right people on the bus we can go anywhere he argues.

After decades of playing the game way too independently and under committing to

interdependence and community I can tell you that I for one am wholeheartedly committed to

collaborating and working with the right WHO….Who matters.

So before you start strategizing and plotting get out there and decide WHO you want to work with,

who you want on your bus. And yes, we decide on who so that we can both give and receive. But

the key is decide. Intentionally, deliberately choose who you want to spend, invest and work with in 2010.

WHO matters…..before HOW!

Thoughts?

Pam Hoelzle

Photo courtesy of People, originally uploaded by Pieter Musterd.