SHART Goals: Out-SHARTing the Competition

You can’t do the same thing as your peers and expect to stand out.  They are all setting SMART goals, so if you want to differentiate yourself from them, you are going to need a new approach.  With my simple 5-step SHART process you will have more time, energy, and the needed boost to jump-SHART your career to the next level.

Select a program that is running well and make unnecessary changes

Your command didn’t pay for you to get your Lean Six Sigma yellow belt, but they’re going to pay now that you’re on a process improvement warpath. No program is safe. Identify a problem that isn’t there and develop corrective actions.  This will likely result in a new excel tracker, command wide training, and a mandated checklist for lacing your boots. And remember, the best time for change is now…while key stakeholders are on emergency leave.

Hinder your coworkers’ efforts to be successful

Your new program will shine brightest against the backdrop of your peers’ failures.  Your lines of effort should focus on making yourself look good and making others look bad.  The latter is easier and can take on many forms such as filing anonymous complaints, replying all to point out email typos, and volunteering to help out with the STEM fair but conveniently getting pulled for an “urgent” task at the last minute, leaving a coworker to fill in as an unprepared

replacement.

Assign your work to others

You can’t do it all yourself, nor should you.  Good leaders delegate and convince others to do their work for them.  Work-life balance is difficult to achieve in the military, especially with new video games coming out daily, geographically separated girlfriends, and court mandated AA meetings.  Give others the opportunity to grow by leaving your work in more capable hands.

Reap the rewards

Your example will no doubt inspire those around you to reach their fullest potential.  Don’t forget to take credit for that.  They couldn’t have done it without your leadership.  Their accomplishments are your accomplishments.

Transfer before consequences are realized

Good process improvements will have leading indicators of success and lagging indicators of failure.  This way the negative consequences of your actions will not be known until long after you have transferred.  This also tees up your successor to fix the problems that you created.  They get to be the new hero and everybody wins.

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