Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want To Be - by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter

Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want To Be1, the latest book by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter, was released on May 19, 2015. The book confronts the subject of change and how we can improve our odds of successfully achieving the goals we set for ourselves.  According to Mr. Goldsmith, there are some givens when it comes to making changes:

 

“1. Change doesn’t happen overnight.” 2 Change requires a new routine.  “We do not get better without structure.”3

“2. Success is the sum of small efforts day in and day out.” 4 To make achieve your goals, you must continually focus on those goals and measure how well you are progressing. Mr. Goldsmith advocates for a daily goal check in.

“3. If we make the effort, we will get better. If we don’t, we won’t.” 5 Goals are similar to New Years Eve resolutions.  We state what we want to change and soon afterwards we’ve realized we’ve made no progress toward it or we’ve completely forgotten about it. If you want to make changes, you have to commit to working on your goals.

 

As a leadership coach, Mr. Goldsmith takes an established approach with all of his clients.  Once he learns about the changes his clients want to make.  He helps them establish a daily routine that focuses on a series of questions.  These questions are written in an active versus passive voice since “[h]ow questions are posed significantly influences the results.” 6 The passive question, “Do you have clear goals?” becomes more meaningful when considered from an active voice, “Did you do your best to set clear goals for yourself?” Adding “’Did I do my best to…’ triggers trying.” 7

 

Below are the core Engaging Questions8 used by Mr. Goldsmith:

  1. Did I do my best to set clear goals today?
  2. Did I do my best to make progress toward my goals?
  3. Did I do my best to find meaning today?
  4. Did I do my best to be happy today?
  5. Did I do my best to build positive relationships today?
  6. Did I do my best to be fully engaged today?

 

Also, each client would have additional questions specific to the changes they would like to make.  Once the questions are established, a spreadsheet is created as a means to track progress on each of the questions.  At the end of every day, the clients are required to rate themselves on how well they met each of their goals on that day.  Yes, this needs to be a daily routine so that you are continually focusing on the changes you want to make.  They hold you accountable.  Unfortuntely, “[a]ccording to Goldsmith, within two weeks, 50% will give up and stop answering the Daily Questions.”9 To combat this possibility, Mr. Goldsmith pays someone to call him every night, ask the questions, and record the results.

 

Once the questions are in spreadsheet form, you will rate yourself on a scale of 1 – 10 for each question. The rating takes place at the end of each day and is based on how well you think you did in achieving each of the goals (questions). This daily tracking allows you to monitor your progress and potentially reassess whether you really committed to making a specific change, i.e., you have a consistently low rating on a goal.

Your spreadsheet should be a work in progress. As goals are achieved or as things become routine, new challenges are added and older one are reevaluated.

From an employee engagement standpoint, this process can help managers stay focused on making positive changes to how they engage their employees and coworkers.

Here are some sample questions that can be added:

Did I do my best to…

  • Check in with each of my direct reports today?
  • Communicate company priorities today?
  • Avoid angry or destructive comments about others today?
  • Be aware of playing favorites today?

 

I encourage you to read Triggers. Take advantage of Mr. Goldsmith’s experience and insights to make the changes you want/need in your life.  Change isn’t easy. With Mr. Goldsmith’s help, you can reach your goals (faster) and avoid the normal pitfalls along the way.

 

What questions specific to employee engagement would you add to your list? What are your thoughts on Mr. Goldsmith’s Engaging Questions?

 

 

1 Goldsmith, Marshall, and Mark Reiter. Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts– Becoming the Person You Want to Be. Crown Business, 2015. Print.
2 Ibid., page 134.
3 Ibid., page 169.
4 Ibid., page 121.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid., page 120.
7 Ibid., page 121.
8 Ibid., pages 111-114.
9 Ibid., page 122.

 

 

Let’s Engage!

I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.

Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.

I'm Simpson....Gregory F Simpson, Agent in EngagementYou can follow me @agtinengagement.
Email me at g…@a…t.com.
Connect via LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/GregoryFSimpson.
Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.

 

 

P.S.  First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.

 

Other recent Agent in Engagement data/reports by Agent Gregory F Simpson: