LEADING SELF: Execution
Description
Execution may be the most undervalued of the myriad skills human beings can develop and hone. But without execution, the pyramids would not have been built, the internet would not exist and the greatest books would never have been written. In her highly-original talk at a recent 99 Percent Conference, Rilla Alexander tells the story of the classic struggle many creatives and innovators experience as we transform idea into reality.
Rilla Alexander: Without the Doing, Dreaming is Useless from 99U on Vimeo.
As Rilla expertly points out in her story, “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." (Japanese Proverb)
So where do you begin? The purpose of an action plan is to create logical connections between the goals you have crafted and the actions you will need to execute in order to realize them. An action plan will help you determine HOW you will achieve your “idea” and helps to organize the actions in a coherent way.
In order to create an action plan for your project, place the goals you crafted in the first column of the table provided.
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GOALS |
STEPS |
RESOURCES |
SUCCESS INDICATORS |
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Guy Kawasaki's book - the Art of Start - is a “time-tested battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything”. Kawasaki offers GREAT IDEAS for STARTING THINGS covering a variety of foundational topics relevant to social and traditional entrepreneurs alike while using humour and real-life examples to accompany his guidance. Now go start something!
Task
- Watch Rilla Alexander’s video, “Without Doing, Dreaming is Useless” and draw inspiration from her creative story.
- Next create an action plan for yourself. Place the goals you crafted in the Personal Reflection on Skill Development activity in the first column of the sample table below.
- Brainstorm and identify the steps you will need to take, the resources you will need to access and the indicators or criteria to help you determine when you have achieved your goals.
Learning Objectives
The purpose of this activity is to inspire you to create a plan of action that jives with your own unique style of execution. Featured skills and competencies include: dealing with ambiguity, project management, risk management and problem solving.
Continue to LEADING SELF: Financial Empowerment 101 »