The Five Challenges Facing Us Today

By Bob Moore, CMC, MCC, The Effectiveness Coach®

Word Count: 378 Words
Reading Time: About 3 minutes

Today, all of us are facing challenges most are not prepared to address. The first three challenges are simply “conditions” to which we are must adapt since there is no readily apparent solution.

Challenge One: The Economy

Even with some “glimmers of hope”, consumer spending in the U.S. currently remains uncertain with no long-term recovery in sight.

Challenge Two: Competition

Regardless of your business or profession there is growing competition. Even if you are in transition, there are thousands more like you looking for the next great opportunity.

Challenge Three: Personal Effectiveness
Numerous studies show a direct correlation between how people use their time and the results they achieve in all areas of their life. I recommend my clients routinely assess the following categories of time use habits: Priorities, Planning, Scheduling, Delegation, and Procrastination with the Time Mastery Profile®. You will then discover where to improve and how to create an action plan to be more effective.

Challenge Four: Managing Stress
Every individual has stressors associated with their job and how they operate their daily lives. Since most stressors are difficult or impossible to eliminate, it is essential to learn to fully utilize coping skills. According to Dr. David H. Olsen, creator of the Coping and Stress Profile®, assessing your stressors and coping resources can significantly improve personal and professional satisfaction.

Challenge Five: Professional Effectiveness
The most effective people have a commitment to continuous improvement and mastery of their essential skills. A great place to begin is an assessment based on the DISC behavioral model which is considered one of the most reliable, time-tested, easily understood behavioral learning tools available today. DISC is an acronym for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance styles of behavior.

To contribute to an effective development process the assessment must create awareness that leads to discovery otherwise it may become just another interesting experience of limited long term value. To achieve mastery you your behavioral insights must result in an action plan. Consider the services of a personal coach who can guide you through the mastery process.

Summary
The Serenity prayer best summarizes my recommendations for all of these five challenges. Pray for the strength to change what can be changed, the patience to accept what cannot be changed and the wisdom to know the difference.

Enthusiastically,

Bob

Bob Moore, CMC®, President
Effectiveness, Inc/The Effectiveness Coach®
Aligning Human Capital with Strategic Objectives

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