It’s Barbara here, The Lovable Poet, a “wordsmith” ready to help you…
What’s your goal?
Trying to “sell” kids on staying focused and on task in class?
Working to advance your career?
Strategizing to boost sales of a product or service in a field other than education?
Whatever you’re aiming to achieve, you need to catch and keep people’s attention! In a world full of distractions you need the benefit of extra tools and tricks to get and stay noticed.
Put today’s Attentionology Power Play to work for you…
…USE HUMOR WITH GOAL-SETTING
What’s funny about setting goals? Nothing really. Success is usually attributable, at least in part, to setting and prioritizing goals. Why use humor then? Answers:
- To lighten up the process so that goal-setting is less intimidating to the people with whom you work.
- To engage your group, catching and keeping their attention with a communal positive attitude.
In School? Here’s a funny to share with your class…keep reading…
Announce that you’d like to begin class with a few minutes of goal-setting for the day ahead. “I mean just for today, class,” you say. “Let’s focus on what we can accomplish right now!”
Pass out paper and instruct the students (grades 3 – 5) to write down five goals for today. Hold up a paper; point to it to show that you want the goals numbered with the most important first. Then share the funny…“For example, your number one goal for today might be LET’S ENJOY RECESS!”
Follow up the laughter with a more serious reminder: “Okay, really I need you to include some study goals, too.”
In an Office? At the start of a meeting, suggest a few minutes of open conversation about today’s goals.
Offer to start the process, quickly announcing that your first goal is… “LET’S KEEP THE MEETING SHORT!”
Without missing a beat, say, “I think our second goal should be…NAMING THE WINNER OF THE VACATION-TO-PARADISE CONTEST WE’VE JUST CONCLUDED. IT’S ME!!!! Follow with, “Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t anyone else get the memo about the contest?”
Follow the laughter with a business-tone voice, “Okay, I guess we better get back to work.”
Keep my Attentionology Power Plays “in your pocket” every day!
Barbara ♥ The Lovable Poet
