Greetings, friends. I hope you have learned a great deal from reading these blog posts from Anthony and Engineering Management Institute contributors over the years. Anthony and his team have done an incredible job pulling together resources and information for all of EMI’s members. When I sat down to write words of wisdom for you this month, I decided to see what’s already been done.
Why reinvent the wheel?
The 80/20 Rule
One of the first blog posts to catch my attention was Anthony’s post on the 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle), which ran on March 13, 2024. I was introduced to this principle a lifetime ago. It has helped me and others make smarter decisions.
For example, my physical therapist (PT) keeps collecting books he wants to read to expand his knowledge. Guess what his problem is. He never has enough time to read those books. Does that sound familiar to you?
The 80/20 rule can help my PT by challenging him to scan his pile of books and only save the 20% of his books that carry real meaning and knowledge for him.
The other 80% of books can be given away to libraries, schools, etc.
My daughter and I did this exercise over the summer. We haven’t gotten through all my books yet, but we are closing in on the 20% — the best of the best. Several carloads of books have gone to outside sources.
SMART Goals and a Moose
As professionals, I know you’ve been bombarded over the years with suggestions/requirements that you create SMART goals. You remember: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
SMART goals are hard to create. They require you to really think about what those five words stand for. And it’s hard to turn those five words into a guiding principle. It’s even more difficult to keep those goals in the forefront of your thinking for a year or more.
Given that, I invite you to check out this true tale about wildlife and goals: How to Write SMART Goals, Courtesy of a Moose, which ran on January 11, 2021. If nothing else, I hope you get a laugh.
SEARCH-ing for ideas?
Another great resource is at your fingertips up in the right-hand corner of EMI’s website. Looking for something on speaking skills? Click on Search! On leadership skills? Click on Search! On management skills? Click on Search!
Want to learn more about dozens of topics relevant to you and your life? Go to the Search button on the top right of this page. Enter your topic and be amazed. EMI has so much info already at your fingertips.
About the Author
Pamela A. Scott is an executive coach and founder of MentorLoft, a coaching firm that works with CEOs and execs to prepare their NextGen leaders to run their company. Pamela specializes in coaching engineers and CEOs of professional service firms. For more information, visit www.mentorloft.com.
We would love to hear any questions you might have or stories you might share on utilizing the 80/20 rule and SMART goals for better decision-making.
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