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Writing is an art. It’s about providing information that is, not only informative, easy on the eyes, with the reader’s perspective as the objective. In reviewing written material, I come across the same issues over and over, and they are easy to overcome. Here are my observations and suggestions.
1. Use lists.
Lists break up thoughts and allow each item to “pop.” When used throughout a paragraph, it can make the paragraph long and cumbersome and the likelihood of passing over information can happen when reviewing later. A great example is writing about a process. It is easier for the eyes to follow down a list and make sure that a process in the series isn’t missed. Kind of like a checklist. Use a numbered list when it is important to follow a series of steps to a specific procedure. Use a bulleted list when the order in which you do things is not important.
2. Use heading formats, bold, and italics.
These will delineate thoughts and ideas, create sections of information, and allow certain words to stand out. Published works should always be italicized. Bolding is great for headers to divide sections, and also to make a word more emphatic for understanding, without using all caps and come across like yelling. Such as, “It is not required to include attachments or documents to your submission.”
3. In memos, letters, and reports, use full-justified paragraphs.
The page flows better and visually appears less choppy; your lists and headers pop more, and the page actually appears cleaner and more organized.
4. Clean up your commas.
I regularly see works where the commas are random. Commas are actually pretty easy if you have some guidelines and are the worst offenders in written material.
- Use in a series. When listing three or more things, put a comma after each one. Such as, “Chicken, fish, and salad are healthy choices.” When you say, “Chicken, fish and salad are healthy choices,” the fish and salad appear to go together. I will also see within the same document the comma used before the last item and not used in the last item in other sections of the document. I will comment about consistency in a little bit.
- Always put your comma inside the quotes. No explanation necessary here.
- When using sets of series, be sure to use a semi-colon. For example, “I have lived in Cleveland, Ohio; St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Francisco and Sacramento, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Austin, Texas.” This clearly breaks up each one, defines each section, and eliminates confusion.
- Use commas for introductory thoughts or phrases. Such as, “such as,” “also,” “however,” “in reviewing….” Introductory clauses set up the sentence that is coming. Also, make sure that the sentence following can stand on its own and makes complete sense without the introductory sentence. Use a semi-colon or a period when both sentences each stand on their own and make sense.
5. Use em dashes when appropriate.
The only time you use one dash is in a hyphenated word, it is a hypen. Use an em dash when reinforcing a thought. Also put a space between the words on each side of the em dash so it does not appear as a long hyphenation. In Word, and most other programs, all you have to do is type two hyphens and when you hit the space bar it will automatically convert to an em dash.
6. Us the active voice when possible.
I discussed the active voice in a prior article, which you can access here. The active voice is just that, stronger and active.
7. Consistency.
Use consistency in your formatting, headers, footers, and overall look. Otherwise the piece will look unorganized and reduce the flow of clarity and readability. It creates a work that appears well-thought, organized, and professional.
These are just some very simple suggestions to the most common errors I come across. It is all in the presentation to the reader. If it is difficult to read, understand, or follow, your reader will move on. It’s all about presentation to keep the reader engaged and to clearly assist the reader in understanding the point you are trying to get across.
Please let me know your thoughts and ideas on best presenting written works. Also, what common mistakes do you come across? Also, if you like what you read here, pass this information on to your fellow professionals who could use little tips like this. And, thank you for coming by my little website.
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My challenge, actually for the week, has been managing overload. I realize that I can’t do it all, but I make every effort to, and to do it well. That is the problem with overload. You find yourself sacrificing the quality of your work. You don’t mean to, but it’s inevitable.
As an assistant, the job is all about managing constant interruption. Not everyone can do it. We are multi-tasking between all sorts of activities. Our job is not the kind that you can start on a project, focus, and plow through. While working on a task or project, we are also answering the phone, managing email, stopping to assist with a question, routing documents, logging, and processing. In reality, sometimes I’m amazed anything gets accomplished.
These days I find myself walking into work and booting my computer up with a minimum of 30 emails, and it’s not uncommon to start the morning off with 60. That doesn’t include the stream of emails coming through each and every hour. When managing through email, and most things, I am a “first in, first out” kind of gal. What I am getting better at is, while going through the oldest mail first, attempting to manage the latest mail that comes in too. So I’m kind of running through email from both ends.
Everyone has advice because everyone’s stuff is priority. Well, every piece of email I get requires me to do something with it. Whether 5 minutes or 30 minutes and it is all important and it all must get processed. Nobody knows all that you do and, really, they don’t want to know because they are busy too. So how do you handle the barrage of demands. After all, you are only one person.
Don’t let it get you worked up, stressed.
First suggestion. You have to breathe and keep your calm, sense of humor, and sanity. It is called “grace under pressure.” The difficulty is dealing with an environment like that every day, which really isn’t healthy either.
Manage your space.
Some people seem to function in stuff. Stuff everywhere. I’m not one of them. I like a clean and organized desk. I like leaving the office with everything off my plate so I can come into work the next day with a fresh “plate,” so to speak. But this isn’t always the case. So, knowing that you are coming in the next day with a “boat load” of stuff to get done, try to organize your desk before you leave so you at least walk in with everything in place for you to get off the ground running and not begin your morning feeling cluttered and out of control. I’m not a morning person. I like to get my cup of coffee, boot up the computer, and build steam as the day progresses.
Manage your time.
This could mean when someone gives you a request, ask for a deadline. When do they really need to have it completed? Communicate if there is a conflict in getting the task completed on that timetable. They may be able to compromise or juggling the other conflicts may be required. The point is, make sure that there is clarification on priorities. We may think one thing is a priority when it turns out that it may not be as urgent as our initial impression of there being one.
Do the best you can.
Perfection is non-existent. Well, other than an amazing sunset or a beautifully prepared meal. Strive in greatness in all that you do. Make sure that your attitude is that of high quality and that will reflect in the output of your work. Some environments are toxic, but that doesn’t have to be you. Don’t allow others to get in your head. Stay true to yourself and keep your attitude elevated so that you are better for yourself and for the people who matter to you.
Don’t take the job home with you.
Which brings me to another good point. When you’re done with work, you’re done. Leave it there. Go home and enjoy spouse, kids, dog, cat, and even yourself. If you need something to vent on, find something that moves the energy out of you and brings good energy into you. That could be a hobby, meditation, a nicely prepared meal where you sit down and enjoy your healthy food on beautiful plates. I go to the gym and I go 6 days a week. I not only lost 15 pounds in one month, but I have been known to sweat 2 hours on the elliptical or beat up the weight machines. They can take it and they don’t say anything back. But don’t take it out on the really important people in your life. They are the ones who deserve your best. Find an outlet that can take the beating, something you love or at least enjoy, and it makes you a better person for doing the activity.
Appreciation.
Appreciate what you do. Even if you don’t get it directly, love what you do and it really doesn’t matter what other people think. Understand that there are a lot of people who either do not like what they do or they are going through their own issues. We don’t have the full story of why people are the way they are, so by not being confrontational or aggressive will sometimes cut the edge off how they may interact with you. And, yes, sometimes it is hard to do. You might feel like you need one of those bits that you can bite down on to manage excruciating pain.
As an assistant, we like helping people. That is just how we are wired. It brings us satisfaction knowing that we were able to put something together that looks effortless and easy. It is when you no longer take pride in what you do that you lose what makes you so great at your job.
A Handy Dandy Checklist
Halogen Software came out with a handy dandy checklist for the manager on “How to Conduct a Successful Annual Performance Review.” I thought it would be a good idea to share with the other side of the review table, the reviewee, and some thoughts on how to be prepared. Or, in the alternative, if your manager conducts a relatively simple review process by simply discussing what you can improve on, you can come to the table with an arsenal of information that is to your advantage and well-prepared to shine.
So I am not taking credit for the initial checklist and will provide the link to their site at the end. Besides, isn’t it nice to have an idea of what management may be evaluating you on, instead of walking out of the interview even more confused and without details of exactly what is expected. It’s the same thing year after year. Lack of communication to help you be better at your job and then feeling deflated and frustrated when it’s all over.
So here we go!
Here’s The Agenda
The Boss:
Set up a date and time for a private meeting with each employee.
Some Ideas:
This allows you to be prepared, the moment of truth arrives. Carpe diem!
The Boss:
You may want to ask your employees to prepare a summary of their accomplishments over the last year, assess their performance of competencies, draft some objectives for the coming year and think about career aspirations. (If your process doesn’t already include self-appraisals.)
Some Ideas:
Make a duty list. List all the things that you do on a periodic, daily, weekly, monthly basis. What are all your duties. List them and keep it up-to-date. Add and delete as your tasks dictate.
The Boss:
Consider your and each employee’s social and communication styles.
Some Ideas:
Are you outgoing and gregarious, but your boss is more nose to the grindstone?
Are you quiet and reserved, but your boss is personable and interactive?
Are you to the point, but your boss is more ambiguous with what they say?
Try to pin down what your boss’s style is and that may help you prepare for how he/she views your communication style. Neither is right or wrong, just different. People seem to gravitate towards those who have a similar working style, because they believe they will get the job done in the manner they think is the right way.
The Boss:
You may also find it helpful to collect feedback from your employees’ peers and/or internal clients. (If your process doesn’t formally include this.)
Some Ideas:
Pay attention to how you treat your fellow colleagues. Pay attention to how you treat the people who do business with your company and the boss. Not everybody’s personalities will mix, but it does mean being professional and courteous to others. If all you do is complain, that will come out. If you are seen as a social butterfly, you may not be seen as industrious. Make note of what your colleagues think of your work and your attitude when it comes to collaborative assignments. Are you considered an asset to be on the team, or someone who needs to be constantly advised of what needs to be done and meeting deadlines.
The Boss:
Review last year’s performance appraisal form and ratings.
Some Ideas:
Take a look at the former year’s appraisal and make notes on what you have done to improve, things you have changed, and actions you have taken to continue to expand on your skills and level of competencies.
The Boss:
Review the employee’s self-appraisal and any feedback from other sources (if requested).
Some Ideas:
Be positive. Don’t be aggressive. Turn negatives into positives by displaying and suggesting what you can do in the future. And ask, specifically, what their expectation is so you can make efforts to strive toward excellence in those expectations.
The Boss:
Review any development plans from the previous year, and ensure they’ve been completed.
Some ideas:
What systems have you created or improved since the previous year. List any expectations that were discussed and be prepared with answers for what you have been doing and are developing in those areas.
The Boss:
Get the new performance appraisal form.
Some Ideas:
You may not get a copy of what the appraisal will discuss. This will hopefully help you prepare. However, if you do receive a form for the review, detail every point clearly and with an attitude of constant improvement and development.
The Boss:
Transfer information about last year’s goals to this year’s form. (If your system doesn’t do this for you automatically.)
Some Ideas:
Review, review, review what was discussed the prior year. They will probably come up as topics again. Note what you have done and how your efforts have improved personally, as well as having actual examples of work that you do that expresses the fact.
The Boss:
Review the rating scales you will use this year.
Some Ideas:
Be fair and try to see it from your boss’s perspective. He/she may not see everything that you do and your level of contribution. You are there to simplify his job. He doesn’t know how you do it, but he always knows when you don’t.
For Each Employee:
Evaluate Previous Year’s Performance
The Boss:
Rate your employee’s demonstration of competencies.
Some Ideas:
What do you think are your greatest skills and achievements? Where do you shine?
The Boss:
Rate your employee’s performance on each of their goals.
Some Ideas:
Have you made professional or career goals? Express them and detail what you have done to move forward on those goals. Did you boss give you clear-cut goals? If so, list what you do to fulfill his/her expectations of improvement. If not, get them from this review so you are prepared to achieve in what are his/her most important priorities. His priorities maybe different than yours and, most likely, are.
The Boss:
Determine an overall rating for their performance last year.
Some Ideas:
What would you give yourself as a performance rating personally? Now, what would you give your performance rating if you were your own boss?
Establish Objectives for the Coming Year
The Boss:
Define goals for your employee that are in line with functional and corporate objectives.
Some Ideas:
Ask for them before leaving your review, a clear and actionable list of goals and expectations. If you are unclear, ask for clarification. This is your job too. You can’t find satisfaction in your job if you feel like you are always missing the mark. Ask.
The Boss:
Define any development plans required to support your employee in completing this year’s objectives or to address skill gaps.
Some Ideas:
Once again, ask. There are times when an expectation is expressed, but you are not given the tools or resources to meet the objective. Have a clear understanding that you both will support the efforts to achieve what is being dictated.
Conduct the Performance Appraisal Meeting
The Boss:
Establish a comfortable environment for the meeting.
Some Ideas:
Be professional, don’t wear anything that can make you uncomfortable, make sure that you have eaten a good breakfast or lunch, and gotten enough rest to be refreshed, mentally alert and prepared.
The Boss:
Review and discuss your performance ratings on competencies.
Some Ideas:
Listen, breath for a moment, and then contribute. Do not get defensive. Try to view it as a collaborative negotiation in which you are both looking for excellence and evolution.
The Boss:
Review and discuss your performance ratings on goals.
Some Ideas:
Listen objectively, stay calm, listen, breath for a moment, and then respond.
The Boss:
Review and discuss overall performance.
Some Ideas:
Same as the last one.
The Boss:
Set goals for the coming year.
Some Ideas:
Make a list of your goals. What you would like to do, create, or contribute. Express educational goals that you would like to do that make you better at your job. Be seen as someone who is always learning and improving.
The Boss:
Set development plans to address skill gaps.
Some Ideas:
If there are certain skills, knowledge, or information that you need, ask if they have programs or financial assistance with getting that training.
The Boss:
Discuss your employee’s career aspirations and set appropriate development plans.
Some Ideas:
Does your employer encourage advancement? If not, set your own. Whether they are in the improvement of your existing job level or something you can develop to take to another opportunity. Knowledge is power and keeps you in the forefront of your competitors.
The Boss:
Complete the administrative paperwork for the appraisal. (If your process is not automated.)
Some Ideas:
Request a copy of the evaluation. They usually have you sign it. Having a copy gives you a blueprint on what you can work on or whether you need to move on.
Throughout the Year
Observe and Coach Performance
The Boss:
Provide feedback and coaching on an ongoing basis.
Some Ideas:
This is where your Duties List comes in handy. Also, keep a list of continued education you have taken, seminars that you have gone to, and any other activities that you are involved in that display your “can-do” attitude.
The Boss:
Manage performance gaps.
Some Ideas:
Are you working in some kind of crisis mode all the time, whether personal or professional? Request input on what can be done to alleviate or minimize it so that your performance and attitude about your work and job can improve.
In Conclusion
Also remember, that you have the chance to evaluate your boss. Maybe not directly, but it’s a good to have a clear idea if that is the work you want to continue doing or the business you want to continue working for. If it’s not, you will have outlined goals that will prepare you to seek out an opportunity that displays your best. You will have created your own agenda in preparing for something better. Remember, you represent your company, good or bad. Life gives you choices, you make the choice!
Here is the link to the website where this initiated:
Halogen Software
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Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses. Everyone is unique and adds value. You find value and appreciation in a job when your boss recognizes what you are good at and gives you plenty of opportunity to shine in, not only what you are great at, but what you love to do. It is equally crushing to have a boss who takes away projects that you are great at and seems to seek every opportunity to either make your job unpleasant or look for ways to see you fail or sabotage you. However, when given a task that you aren’t very knowledgeable in or lack the expertise, see it as a challenge, an opportunity to develop another skillset.
In everything you do, do with excellence. Your work and your talents are a reflection of you. The quality of your work isn’t about whom you give it to, appreciative or unappreciative, it’s about you. Anything worth doing is worth doing great. So that means, it’s not about anybody else, it’s all about you. Take pride in your work and what you have to offer. You seem to have a knack to make spreadsheets sing or words just flow on a page. You make it look so easy that other’s don’t realize the actual knowledge and talent it takes to create something so fabulous.
When my boss said that he wanted to assign a spreadsheet to someone else to help me in reducing my workload, at first I was a bit peeved. The work on my side was complete, I was waiting for another department to put together their portion for me to integrate into multiple workbooks. To me, that project was easy. Also, if he assigned the project to someone else, most people would get lost in the code. It’s all over the place, running across multiple sheets, and ultimately it would be linked and consolidated into another workbook.
It quickly dawned on me that the workbook was, in fact, not mine. It was my boss’s to do with what he wishes. So, in my head, I let it go. I responded to my boss that if he felt it was in the best interest of the assignment to have someone else do it, then it should be reassigned. Needless to say, I am still managing the workbooks and working on the consolidation process. The lesson for me was to learn to let go. To realize that in a power struggle, there is no ownership. So even if you win, it will have been with conflict and, more to the point, you will have created more grief for yourself in the long run. It’s a lose-lose situation. You will have won the battle, but lost the war.
Pick and choose your battles. Lots of other opportunities will come your way. Just be open to them. That includes trying new things. Shine in all your endeavors. After all, you are a consummate professional, you are able to perform with grace under pressure, and you are really good at what you do.
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Every once in a while I like to change things up. So you will see a new look to the website. Sometimes new things work, sometimes they don’t. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So I’ve put in a new look to the website. I hope that cup of coffee perks you up as much as it does me.
Also, I updated my comment manager and have not been able to figure out how to transfer all the fabulous comments that were received on the prior posts. I hope to figure out how to get them transferred, but the priority was to get better control over garbage and spam comments. I hope this helps.
Let me know if you have any suggestions, if you find the layout to be less user friendly or any other bothersome quirks it may give you. Only your suggestions will help me to improve the look, feel, and layout so you can enjoy your time here with me.
I appreciate you coming by, don’t forget to say “Hi,” and I look forward to our future conversations here.
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Problem. You have created a fabulous spreadsheet. You’ve entered text and formulas and all that is required to update the spreadsheet is the data. The user input is entered by others than yourself and you are discovering that certain cells are being modified, such as “Sum” formula cells. The individual doesn’t even have to enter anything because the formula will automatically update that cell. But, no, you’re dealing with a person who thinks they need to update that field with manual input.
Answer. To maintain the integrity of the sheet and its corresponding formulas and links, you are going to want to lock them out. Not the entire sheet of course. After all, you need them to enter their data. You can lock out individual cells. This is what you can do to keep sticky fingers out of your cells.
1. First, unlock all the cells on the sheet so you can pick and choose which ones you want to protect. Click on the left corner (see picture below) or press Ctrl-A to select the entire sheet.
2. Right-click your mouse and select Format Cells. Select the tab Protection and clear the check box next to Locked. It will look like this:
3. Click OK.
4. Back at your spreadsheet, select the cells you want others to stay out of. You can select multiple cells by holding down the Ctrl key and left-clicking your mouse on the cells you want to lock up. You don’t have to do one cell at a time, you can do them all at once. If your cells are consecutive, next to each other, hold down the Shift key and drag your mouse through all the cells you want.
5. Now that you have made your selection, go back into the Protection tab. Right-click in the spreadsheet, select Format Cells, then left-click the Protection tab, and put the checkmark in the box Locked. So now it looks like this:
6. Lock and Load. You have primed your document for selective lockout. You’re going to like this, I promise. In Excel 2007, you will want to select Review in the menu, then select Protect Sheet. You will see three boxes checked (see picture below). You can leave those checked and enter a password in the section that says, “Password to unprotect sheet:,” and click on OK. A dialog box will prompt you to confirm the password. Re-enter the password and click OK.
That’s it. You’re done. You can test this by attempting to type in the cell. A warning dialog box will stop your unsuspecting violator in their tracks. JUST REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD.
If you need to make changes to your protected cells, just follow the same procedure in line item #6. Instead you will see Unprotect Sheet instead of Protect Sheet. You only have to put your password in once here. Remember, passwords are also case sensitive. So if you have Caps Lock on, that’s what you’ll get. I’ve done that, so if you feel like you’ve been locked out and you know for a fact that you know the password, put your Caps Lock on and that should get you in.
I hope this tip helps keep your vagrants at bay and the integrity of your worksheet intact. If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment and I will respond within 24 hours. I have some rather elaborate spreadsheets and a lot of users who input data. This has saved me immense time and frustration in maintaining a lot of associated links located on additional spreadsheet tabs and workbooks that reference those cells where I will receive value error in the field if the cell is modified.
Let me know if you find this tip helpful, if you have any suggestions, or would like to elaborate. Also, let me know if you find the graphics helpful. Share with your fellow colleagues and let them know where they can find a great resource for information by visiting this website. Share the knowledge is what I always say!
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This is a really easy tip and, surprising, many aren’t aware that you can add, delete, and manipulate your PDFs in Adobe. You do have to have the full-blown version of Adobe Acrobat. Adobe Reader will not do.
Inserting a PDF into a PDF
If you have an existing PDF and want to add additional information consisting of another PDF document, without having to send over seperate and multiple files in an email, here are your steps:
- Open your first document, the one you want to add the information to.
- In the menu bar, select Document.
- In the drop down menu, select Insert Pages…
- A file directory will appear. Locate and select the PDF file you want to insert.
- An Insert Pages prompt will display.
- First choose the location. Your choices in the drop down menu will be Before or After.
- Then select the Page you want it to start. The radio buttons are First, Last, and Page __ of ## (you type in the page location in the box. It will look like this:
When you say OK, remember that the beginning of the document will be placed “Before” or “After” the very first page of the existing document you are working in, the very last page, or within the document at a specific page location. I usually select “Before” First (so it starts at the very beginning of the document), or “After” Last (so it is merely appended to the back end of the document, or “After” a specific page location (so it is placed in the middle of the document after a certain page).
If you want to see how the full document is laid out. On the left side, there are six icons (four left-side top and two left-side bottom). Right-click on the very first icon that looks like two pages and a vertical display of a thumbnail preview of your pages will appear.
Multiple Program Documents
If you are finding difficulty in getting different program information into one document (i.e., inserting Excel information into a Word document), just convert your documents into PDF and insert the pages with the tip I just explained. I have worked with a lot of administrative staff that just hate being bothered with the hassle of manipulating different program information into one consolidated document. This usually consists of Inserting an Object, or other techniques.
Manipulate Your PDF
You want to move your PDF pages into a different order. This is really simple. All you have to do is bring up your vertical thumbnail view I mentioned earlier, click-and-drag the page to its new location. The vertical slider will move up and down till you get where you want to drop your page.
Deleting PDF Pages
The easiest way to do this is to just mouse-click on the thumbnail page or by pressing down on the the Ctrl button, you can select as many pages as you want. Once you have made your selection, hit the Delete key. You will be prompted if you are sure you want to delete the page(s). Just click OK. Super easy!
Extraction
Lets say you have a large PDF document that you want to save specific pages as another file. Follow the same procedure as above to Insert Pages…, but instead select Extract Pages… Select the specific pages you want saved as a document, and don’t forget to select the radio button that says Extract Pages As Separate Files, and click OK. It will look like this:
A “Browser For Folder” prompt will appear, select the directory location for the separated pages to be saved and click OK. This process does not delete the pages from your existing document. It’s like saving a copy of those pages, and eliminating extraneous pages, to a separate file of only the information you want to dessiminate. I hope that makes sense.
Anyway, there are a lot of things you can do with PDFs in Adobe Acrobat, but these are just a few really useful and easy tips for putting together, consolidating, manipulating, or refining a PDF document.
If you like this tip, please share and let your friends know where they can get some useful tips and information. I enjoy getting your feedback and please let me know if you have a question about something that is driving you crazy and you really believe there has got to be an easier solution. I’ll see what I can do.
In goal setting, the method is to make a list of what it is you want. I’ve done this and I have lots of lists. But in order to achieve your goals, you need to break them down, set tasks, research, create a plan that gets you from Point A (where you are now) to Point B (where you want to be).
I am now in my third year returning to California where my family lives. My first year focus was getting work and then, shortly after that, finding a place of my own after helping my mom through surgery. Those were goals that weren’t written down, but came from necessity. Goals that a person takes immediate action on at the moment because it at level-urgency.
My second year consisted of getting settled into the new job, settling into my new place, and setting up my website and blog. Three things that I knew I wanted to create and design, but the individual tasks weren’t necessarily written down. Needless to say, I designed my life on the fly last year. I’m thrilled with the results, pursuing the things I wanted, but it would be interesting to know what would have been different if I had made a plan or mapped it out as a goal.
So this year, with things more settled and my mind space uncluttered with urgencies, and with the beginning of a whole new decade, this is a great time to map out exactly what I would like to achieve and see how it plays out.
Mindmap Tools
Mindmapping is a great technique to use. It’s kind of like throwing spaghetti on the wall to see if it sticks (an old technique that tells you if your spaghetti is done if you have never heard of it). There are several tools you can use that can help you mindmap.
1. Drawing it out on a piece of paper.
2. Visio by Microsoft is a great software.
3. Mindjet MindManager 8 (this is the software I use).
What I love about the software MindManager 8 by Mindjet is that it incorporates your already existing software to help you achieve your goal.
1. You can add start and end dates to a Task that will populate into your Outlook.
2. You can add an Appointment that will populate into your Outlook.
3. You can add a Note that will populate into your Outlook.
4. You can add a Contact that will populate into your Outlook
5. You can assign “markers” to indicate each goal and task priority.
6. You can give pictures to your goals.
7. You can assign people and resources to each task.
8. You can add goal and task details and information in its individual notes.
9. You can add website hyperlinks to your tasks.
10. You can attach documents.
11. You can connect databases or incorporate specific Excel ranges.
12. You can view as a MindMap or you can view it in outline form.
13. You can also track it in Microsoft Project.
14. You can send it as a Presentation, Word document, PDF.
I’ve already started my Goals Mindmap and it will take some time to break everything down and utilize the various components that make it actionable. Set dates, the people I need to talk to, information that is already available on the internet to let me know what I need to do. Really this is the easy part.
Action
Ultimately, it is about taking action. Once you see it on paper, I believe it makes it real and attainable. You have done your due diligence in getting all the information you need to make it happen. It’s creating your own personal step-by-step process. So, wondering what I could achieve with a detailed plan, it will be interesting to see what I can achieve in one year.
And, by default, it appears that me posting this, I am extending my accountability to all of you. I really hope you will do the same because you deserve it for you. You deserve and are entitled to all the successes you dream. Map your path and then go after it.
If you feel you’re doing it alone, I hope you will share here with me. I hope our successes inspire each other and you will be surprised to find you have a lot of other people out there who want to cheer you on too.
I extend my sincerest wish for you to have your most amazing year ever in 2010 and with great love,
-Layne
