Dream BIG and seize every opportunity.

Have you thought about your career goals for this year and beyond and how you will take advantage of every opportunity? Studies from Harvard Business School have shown that people who set goals are 10 times more likely to be successful! It can seem challenging to stick to your goals throughout a busy year, however, there are some simple steps and tools you can put in place to help yourself achieve these….

Set SMART Goals

In order to achieve your goals, you may need to make a shift to your thinking around them. As a rule, you should always make your goals SMART. Though you have probably long heard of this popular goal setting acronym (illustrated below) you cannot argue with its clear-cut methodology. If you are setting a goal, you need to make it Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely (SMART). By fitting your goals within the SMART framework, you will become more likely to follow through on them.

The BIG picture

Studies have shown that if you train your brain to think about what you want in life and then take actions to achieve it, this will form part of your identity. As explained by Positive Psychology, effective goals are based on values and ethics, because if you are not aligned with your goals and they do not resonate with your core principles you are likely not to achieve them.

It is about understanding your strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and core values, and working with them. If knowing yourself is the first step in reaching your goals, then the next step is thinking on the macro level and setting yourself a goal around the type of person you want to be. If your goal this year for example, is to become a team leader or manager then you need to step back and consider why do you want this? What is the goal behind the goal? For some this might be linked to the goal of being able to inspire people, for others it might be that they want to be the kind of person who others approach for knowledge.

Once you can identify your macro goal you will find it much easier to see where your other goals fit within this and to create a plan moving forward to achieve these.

The power of sharing your goals

Aside from actually being able to identify your goals (both big and small) you NEED to give priority to your goals – and for some of us this can be challenging. It is one thing to say in your head that you will become a team leader by this time next year, but another entirely to actually take the steps to achieve it – this requires accountability, both to yourself and ideally, to someone else. That’s right, your goals do not need to be a secret, be proud and passionate about what you want to achieve and let someone you know and trust in on them. Not only will this help you determine if your goals are achievable, but you will also have someone else who you are accountable to for your progress (or lack of progress) on meeting your goals – not to mention someone to cheer you on. If you do not have anyone who you can share with, you can also give yourself a sense of accountability by writing down your goals and keeping them in a place that you see frequently (a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, a daily calendar reminder…).

Remember, a person who is goal orientated is more likely to have a “positive approach towards life and perceive failures as temporary setbacks, rather than personal shortcomings” and in today’s world isn’t that something we all need?

Top Tips

1. Follow your Passion and Dream BIG
   Set goals you are passionate about – this will make sure you have the commitment to push through when you encounter obstacles in your goal journey. Set some BIG goals this year and break your big goals down into smaller steps by developing a detailed plan on how you intend to accomplish that goal. While you are creating your plan, envision obstacles you may face along the way and that way, that way you will already have a solution ready to go. Do not forget to celebrate each win along the way.
2. Develop your skills in line with Your GOALS
   Invest time in yourself, your well-being, and your personal and professional growth. Think about your professional goals and how you might attain them. What new skills and competencies do you need to acquire? What strengths do you want to enhance? You can start by making dedicated learning time in your weekly work schedule. Let colleagues know how important learning is to you and agree on a proportion of your work week devoted to professional development. Then calendarise it and stick to it. Identify your skill gaps and locate the professional development or qualifications to fill these. Whether you want to move into a manager role or take the next step in becoming a director or board member, there are always opportunities to develop your skills.
3. Grow your Networks
   Opportunities do not always come knocking and we often open new doors through our networks of colleagues, mentors, and friends. Your career goals for this year might call on you to get networking. Look for opportunities to attend events and conferences on the topics that are close to your passions.

Ready to take your goal setting a step further?

Becoming a Personal Member of IPAA SA will support you at every stage of your career journey. We are currently offering our new Goal Setting Starter Pack for free to all our Personal Members. This digital guide and workbook is a vital tool you can use to explore, plan and track your goals this year and beyond.

To become a member or explore the full range of membership benefits please visit here.

References

Schrader, J 2018, ‘Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail’, Psychology Today, viewed 12 January 2022, <https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/modern-mentality/201812/why-new-years-resolutions-fail>.

Chowdhury, MR 2021, ‘The Science & Psychology Of Goal-Setting 101’, Positive Psychology, viewed 12 January 2022, <https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/>.

Peterson, J 2018 ’12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos’. Available here: https://www.amazon.com.au/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021

New Tech Northwest, 2019, The Psychology of Writing Down Goals. Available here: https://www.newtechnorthwest.com/the-psychology-of-writing-down-goals/#:~:text=How%20about%20because%20a%20Harvard,than%20those%20without%20any%20goals.

Image Credit: Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash

The Institute for Public Administration Australia (IPAA) has released its National Strategic Plan 2021-2025. Developed by IPAA’s National Council in consultation with IPAA’s eight Divisions, and designed by IPAA SA’s very own Marketing and Membership Coordinator, Kathryn Oosthuizen. The plan provides a framework to re-focus IPAA’s vision of:

• enriching IPAA offerings at a national level
• building stronger connections between people working in the public sector and the wider public purpose sector and
• increasing membership across each jurisdiction.

This strategic plan provides a foundation to celebrate, reach out and work with others on excellence in public administration and public policy across Australia. It outlines four key objectives with relevant actions associated to them to ensure this plan is delivered effectively. These objectives include:

1. Speaking out as the voice of Australia’s public sectors
2. Supporting professional excellence in Australia’s public sectors and to help build relationships
3. Building national and international partnerships to enrich and expand member offerings
4. Improving our structures and processes to ensure that IPAA’s governance arrangements are fit for purpose

These objectives are underpinned by nine actions that the Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors of the eight Divisions, and the National Executive Director have been tasked to implement. A key to the success of this plan is developing strategic partnerships which help support the signature events and new initiatives which will be implemented.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanisms have also been included in the strategy to measure ongoing successes and allow opportunity for refinement as required.

Read the IPAA National Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 here >. 

For more information about the plan, contact the IPAA National Office at info@ipaa.org.au. See the original IPAA National News article here.

At the 2021 IPAA National Conference held in Brisbane this week, Dr Gordon De Brouwer PSM FIPAA announced the 2021 National Fellows to be recognised by the institute. This year not one, but two, South Australian Members were recognised with the award of Fellowship. Our Divisional Council is pleased to congratulate Caroline Mealor and Ruth Ambler as worthy recipients of the highest accolade of IPAA and welcome them into an esteemed cohort of Fellows.

Fellowship of the institute recognises the achievements and commitment of members of the institute to the best practice of public administration, as well their contributions to the goals on the institute.

Caroline Mealor FIPAA is the current Chief Executive of the Attorney General’s Department (AGD) and is also the Company Secretary of our Divisional Council. Caroline is highly committed to the reform of the criminal justice system and has led significant reform in this area. In addition, she has led South Australia’s involvement in the National Redress Scheme and coordinated the State’s response to both the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Caroline firmly believes in the importance of skilled leaders at all levels and has encouraged a strong focus on leadership development across her department through a number of initiatives designed to upskill and grow the next generation of leaders in the AGD.

Ruth Ambler FIPAA is the Executive Director, Cabinet Office of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and a long time patron and member of IPAA SA. Ruth has led a varied and impactful career in the South Australian public sector, spanning departments including Human Services, Community Investment and Support, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation and more. In her current role in Cabinet Office, Ruth supported a newly elected Government who had not been in power for 16 years. During this time, Ruth implemented measures to support a Cabinet-led Government that positioned DPC to coordinate and lead whole of government reform and strategic initiatives. Ruth also led the implementation of the Boarding Call database which made it easier for South Australians to join one of more than 200 government boards that work to make a difference in our state. In addition to this, Ruth has also has significant positive impact on Reconciliation action within SA, taking a leading role in the Reconciliation Action Plan 2020-23.

Congratulations once again to both Caroline and Ruth on this most-deserved recognition for their efforts and commitment to the betterment of public service in our state. To view all National Fellows, please visit here. For more information on the National Fellowship award and IPAA National, please visit here.