Marshall Goldsmith was recognized as one of the fifteen “most influential business thinkers in the world” in a bi-annual study sponsored by The London Times newspaper and Forbes magazine in 2009.

He is the author or co-editor of 31 books and is one of the few executive advisors who has been asked to work with more than 120 major CEOs and their management teams.

In his latest book Mojo – How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It, Mr. Goldsmith provides strategies for regaining your “mojo” – the positive spirit when we are experiencing both happiness and meaning in what we are doing.  He offers 14 tools that belong in your “Mojo Tool Kit” – of particular interest to managers who want to engage, align and motivate their people is:

Tool #1:  Establish Criteria That Matter to You

Mr. Goldsmith states: “the best thing about having criteria is that it forces you to be precise – in what you do and how you hold yourself accountable afterward.”

For instance, when a client tells him, “I would be a happier if I spent more time with my family each week” – he asks the client to revise “more time” to a specific number like “four hours.”  Only with a specific target, will she/he know if the target has been hit.

After hitting your target, Mr. Goldsmith advises, “reward yourself with an invisible gold medal.”  The positive feedback reinforces a new habit and increases the likelihood the target will be hit again and again.  If the target is missed, the individual knows exactly by how much and can make the adjustment.

 

Putting the Ideas into Action

In a similar way, successful managers:

  • Direct and motivate their people with precise, accountable and specific criteria
  • Make the criteria matter by linking it to how it will help the organization succeed
  • When the criteria is met, achievers are awarded their “gold medal”