Original posting November 10, 2015
Google says purposeful is: having or showing determination or resolve.
I like it!
I have found very few things in my life require me to show determination or resolve at the same level of being an OBM has. After all, we are the get it done folks. We start it, maintain it and ensure it gets completed. That is the role of the OBM… granted we (hopefully) are not fully executing it.. which takes a load off but the reality is we are in the mix at every level. This takes a great deal of purpose – determination and resolve.
Here are 5 Areas I Have Learned to Be Purposeful In (to be successful as an OBM)
Purposeful in Planning
I am dedicated to ensuring that there is a plan at every level of production within the business as an OBM…. I love the saying: if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. That has shown up true for me over and over.
Purposeful in Partnership
If, as an OBM, my clients see me as the ‘hired help’ I will never be able to truly serve them or their vision. But establishing myself as that partner takes being purposeful… sometimes it requires me to stand up even when I could lose the client, it takes doing exceptional work not just enough to get by, it takes sharing in the risks with the successes.
Purposeful in Pivoting
Here is a secret… I don’t love change! When I have set a plan up I want it to run the way I set it up! So if something needs to pivot because it’s not working out the way we expected that is annoying to me (if I am being honest). Because of that, I have to be purposeful to pivot when it is needed, which also means I have to be paying attention to when that is needed.
Purposeful in Performance
It is easy to cut corners, in our minds we think it’s the quickest path to the desired result… but the reality is it never really gets us what we want. Sometimes because the workload is heavy and the to-dos are never ending I can be tempted to cut corners… so I have to stay purposeful to keep a spirit of excellence around my performance to ensure I am giving my all.
Purposeful in Playing
All work and no play makes for an icky kinda day! So I am purposeful to figure out a bit of play time. If you knew me you would know if I am not purposeful to keep this on my calendar and on my radar I will go weeks if not month missing out on some play time… which is no fun. AND it makes me a crabby OBM, wife and mom… and nobody wants that!
What can you be purposeful in today?