"Growing Your People Monthly" Newsletter

August 2009

Greetings!

We're over half-way to 2010. Have you been sticking to achieving the goals you outlined for 2009? From my recent experiences in Nicaragua, I am more convinced than ever about the value of resiliency and dedication. I had the opportunity to hear many amazing speakers and visit numerous businesses, and I moved from a mindset of pity for the people of Nicaragua to one of possibility. I was able to observe members of the Genesis Spinning Cooperative, for example, and it was a moving reminder of the power of persistence. Their outdoor conference room is an image I will never forget. This month, inspired by what I saw in Nicaragua, we'll examine the traits that are important for persistence in goal achievement. Read on!

Be Well,
Yvonne Kinney-Hockert
National Speaker, Business Consultant & Coach
Consulting Solutions, LLC.

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The Proof is in the Persistence

The Genesis Spinning Cooperative in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua is a vibrant example of the power of persistence. This dedicated group of 29 women and 6 men are starting a cotton spinning plant and they have been working on the start-up for two years! In the face of minimal resources, extreme economic hardship, and little education, many people in the U.S. would most likely give up and move on! However, this group continues to make strides towards their goals. Do your team members have this level of commitment to individual goals and those of the organization at large?

The Winslow Assessment is a helpful tool in describing and identifying personality traits that are essential to persistence in goal achievement.

One component of persistence is a sense of responsibility. The sense of responsibility from an innate personality perspective can be described on a range. At one extreme, someone may take so much responsibility for tasks, projects and duties that others' contributions are missed or the person may have difficulty establishing boundaries and saying no to requests. On the other end of the scale, individuals with a lower sense of responsibility have a hard time seeing that their actions can make an impact, or they may choose to find others at fault , having little to no personal accountability for actions.

Another key to persistence is the trait of endurance. Someone with low endurance has low energy and tends to work in short bursts, only able to focus on one project at a time. They often over-commit to projects and then under-deliver because they get easily burned out or give up too soon. At the other end of the spectrum, high endurance individuals are determined and energetic. They show strong dedication to projects and can exert sustained effort. However, they may struggle with change because they can lose sight of when to let go on a project and re-invest their energy elsewhere.

Team members and leaders also need to be conscientious. This trait relates to how quickly a person identifies with the concept of responsibility and internalizes their role. On one end of the spectrum, the individual can be oblivious to others' needs and desires all the way to the other end where the person can be so concerned with others that they put their own needs on the back burner. As with any trait, either end of the spectrum can be an asset or a liability.

With awareness and development , these personality traits can be translated into behaviors that can be learned and then engaged in goal achievement at all levels of the organization. If you or your company want to be inspired by Yvonne's many experiences, including her recent Nicaraguan visit, click here to learn about booking Yvonne as a speaker!

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