Dr. David Rafeedie

I am a Viet Nam era veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force. I spent four years serving, and frankly, it was a different era, and the military was not the professional force it is today. The draft was on, and there were all kinds of characters serving. But serve we did, during a war that was not popular and during a time when the military was not as honored as it is today. Some years after my honorable discharge, I began to miss the military. As I was soon to graduate from college, I thought it would be great to serve as an officer. A friend suggested I join the Army National Guard. I did. It wasn’t a great experience for them or me.

I mention the above because while being in the military was not necessarily a good match for me as a career, I learned a tremendous amount about people, leadership, and decision making. I will be forever grateful to the U.S. Military for the valuable life lessons that I still draw from today. I would recommend every young person to do a tour of duty because it builds character and gives a realistic view of the world we live in and what it takes to be successful.

One of the lessons I learned was land night navigation using a compass, a topographical map, and a flashlight. They dropped us off in an area, and we were to navigate our way back to the landing zone (LZ). We were given a time limit to arrive safely. There was no full moon, and it was partially cloudy. Suffice it to say; it was very dark. But armed with flashlight, compass, and map, I began to work my way toward the LZ. I had to climb fences, avoid cattle (but not always cow patties) and ditches, and traverse large hills. I began to perspire, and my glasses kept fogging up. However, I did make and with some time to spare.  

That skill is worthless in today’s world. I have not used it since. I intend never to use it again. Now I have GPS! And so does our military. When I want to get somewhere, I punch in the coordinates, better known today as the address, and a nice lady tells me when to turn and how much longer I must drive. Amazing! However, if I have no address, my GPS doesn’t do me much good. I must know where I am going before my car navigation is of any use.

The same is true for your business or the team you lead. You must know where you are going if you want to get there. That is a truism for life in general too. Just like the terrain changed as I maneuver my way to the LZ, our culture changes very rapidly. Technological and societal changes bring with them new pressures that require new skills and perspectives to manage your way through the pressures to find success. The business or professional environment you started your career in may look very different today. That could be five years ago!

But even though the terrain, er, excuse me, the environment changes, if you know where you are going, you can maneuver through the changing environment to get to your destination. Clarity on key metrics of the journey is fundamental to reaching your goal.

• Clarity on your starting point. If you don’t where you are, you are lost. And if you are lost, you will not find the destination you want to reach. Evaluate where you are now. Know your current strengths and where you have soft spots that need addressing before you can move forward. Evaluation is sometimes a brutal but always healthy exercise.

The question to ask yourself: “If I keep doing what I am doing now, where will I be three years from now?

• Clarity on the destination. You must know where you are going before you can you know you have arrived.  Your preferred future, or vision, is the destination. Clarity on what that looks like is critical if you are going to plan to get there.

The question to ask yourself: “How will I know when I have achieved my vision?”

•  Clarity on the plan to get you to the destination. A strategic plan to get there is your GPS. The objectives you come up with, and the action steps or goals to get you there are important if you want to reach your destination. Plan around your vision. I recommend planning no longer than three years out because too many things change quickly these days.  Count on getting rerouted from time to time.

The question to ask yourself: “Is the journey to my destination mapped out and before me?”

•  Clarity on the resources and challenges ahead: As much as possible, look ahead to the resources you will need, for example, the right people and strategic partnerships to help get you to your destination. Also, as much as possible, plan for the challenges you see ahead, for example, the economic or political environment down the road.

The question to ask yourself: “What will I need to get to my destination?”

Coaching will help you find clarity on where you want to go and how to get there.  And a coach can empower you to identify the risks and help you find the courage to take those risks head-on. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com, or text or call me 520-709-1860, and let’s start a conversation to see if I can help you.

If you are reading this on social media, check out my website at www.davidthecoach.com.  You will also find more blogs on transitions, fear, leadership, and other subjects dealing with success factors.