Mutual Mystification

What's the goal?

 So many times we end up with folks either not knowing or forgetting the goal we are trying to reach. Once when our children were little we decided to drive across our great country so they could see this great country and have a lifelong love of travel. Well, somehow along the way everyone seemed to forget that goal and everyone just started going off in different directions and being unhappy about what we were doing! The kids couldn't wait for the trip to be over and my wife learned she dislikes traveling! Quite a change from our starting goal!

It happens at work sometimes when the leader believes he's clearly explained the desired goal and everyone on the team either didn't understand what was wanted or had their own thoughts/ideas of what the goal was. Either way nobody is one the same path towards the same goal! Sometimes, during the pursuit of the goal, in all the activities, we just forget what the original goal was. That's where having the goal clearly written down and posted or shared helps to remind everyone. Below are several other ideas that may help also.

 So how do you solve the "Mutual Mysticification" situation? The most obvious way is to clearly state the desired goal and then have others use different words to tell you back what they believe they heard. It also helps if you go several layers deeper and explain "Why" the goal is important. Others may believe it is because you want one thing and that may not be involved at all, it may be a completely different reason for wanting the goal reached.

 One thing is for certain, if mutual Mysticification takes place, for whatever reason, problems will soon follow and the goal, if ever reached at all, will be tremendously more difficult to obtain.

These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve