I was given some great advice early on at the beginning of my managerial career. During a managerial training held by a major airline, I had the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with a senior executive. In a nutshell he told me, make it habitual to always focus on “The Firsts” being productive, because how you start has a 90% determination factor on how you will finish. He then gave me a list of the five key firsts.
1.The first few hours of every morning.
2.The first day of your work week.
3.The first day of the month.
4.The first day of the quarter.
5.The first day of the year.
Every company, organization or team should have at its core a fundamental system of how it conducts its operation to achieve optimal performance success. Every employee regardless of length, area or level of service must understand the vital role they play in ensuring that the system flows smoothly, never gets clogged and is always pumping on all cylinders. By having team members all aligned and zeroed in on accomplishing the goals of the First 5 list, two things will occur; 1. there will be a notable increase on the positive side in the numbers that matter for the organization and 2. more importantly the personal wellbeing of team members are enriched, and their personal development strengthened.
Keith M. Dean
CEO/Founder
The BusinessofU