If you are an effective person, that means that when you set out to do something it gets done, and it gets done right. If you say you’re going to increase sales by 10 percent, you set up a plan and do it. If you say you’re going to lose a pound a month, you set up the procedures in a logical order and then you do them. It’s that easy.
• You’re Proactive – Being proactive means that you see roadblocks and opportunities in advance, and you plan for them. When you set goals, you know that roadblocks might happen, so you act accordingly by fixing your plan to avoid that issue.
• You Know the Deliverables – When you craft a plan for anything, you know what the end result looks like. For example, if your boss asks you to submit a report you know what has to be included and what it should look like before you even get started.
• You Know How to Organize Your Steps – Once you know what the deliverable is, you can now organize your steps to ensure that you get that result that you want. For example, if you’re writing a report for your boss, you might first outline, then research, then fill in the missing components.
• You Use the Right Tools – No matter what you need to do in life, there is a tool for it that helps you get it done right. Skipping those tools is not going to make you very effective. For example, if you want to make a pie, you need the right type of ingredients and a good pie pan plus an oven that works.
• You Know How to Compromise – Sadly, society tries to teach that compromise is weak, but it’s not. People who can find the middle way are more successful and effective not only in business but in life. After all, does it really matter what direction the toilet paper is hanging on the roller?
• You Are Good at Communication – When you learn about proper communication techniques and implement them. Your life will change in surprising ways. One big lesson is that the person sending the message is responsible for ensuring that the receiver understands it.
• You Know When to Say No – An effective person doesn’t overbook themselves so that they cannot give their best. Learn how to say no so that you can say yes to the right things.
• You Know When to Get Help – A person who is effective in life knows what they are good at and what they’re not so good at. They know how to ask the right people to help them succeed.
Essentially, being effective is all about setting goals, developing an action plan, and then implementing the plan. What are you going to do first to increase your own effectiveness in the things you set out to do?