S.M.A.R.T. Leadership

You may have made New Year’s resolutions or decided against resolving anything for 2023, preferring to see how things play out. You probably couldn’t go wrong either way. And yet, you would likely benefit from both approaches: Knowing it’s smart to be resolute as well as helpful to stay open to whatever happens (especially given how these past few years have gone). 

To be and to do: That is the quest. The practice of leadership requires both DOING and BEING: 

• DOING helps move things forward and increases your chance of achieving desired outcomes. It is often supported by things such as goal setting, planning, and action. 
• BEING inspires thoughtfulness and grounding about who is showing up as you do things. It is enabled by things such as clarity, presence, and reflection. 

Many people find balancing DOING and BEING a challenge in their work, due to the emphasis that is placed on the doing. 

As you gain clarity about the year ahead, you might try a twist on the classic S.M.A.R.T. strategy. It can help you articulate how your leadership shows up—meaning who you will BE—as you DO what you will. 

Consider these S.M.A.R.T. questions as you plan the BEING of your leadership: 

• Specific: What kind of leadership do I want to be known for? 
• Measurable: Which evidence points to the impact I’m wanting? 
• Achievable: How can I ensure I’m integrating who I am with what I get done? 
• Relevant: Where can my values (what’s most important to me) show up more intentionally in my world? 
• Timely: When might I need to be most aware of not defaulting to old mindsets and/or patterns of behavior? 

The quest of both DOING and BEING will steer you towards living a more integrated life, abundant with leadership that shows up intentionally in your world. 

This Week: Even if you’ve already set goals for 2023, consider how you want to BE as you DO things to support your goals. If you tend to resist making New Year’s resolutions, consider getting clearer about who you will BE as you navigate this year. Use the above questions, if helpful. Another idea is to write an annual letter to yourself – check out my business partner Mary Ellen’s blog on this from last week.