I see immense power for both my coaching and consulting clients in defining their own BHAG's. Let me give my own view of what a BHAG needs to look like - it should be truly BIG and AUDACIOUS. So far that's got to be a disappointing expansion on Collins' concept. However, a common challenge I see with too many of clients - individuals and organizations alike - is small thinking and (perhaps) an unconscious comfort in not straying too far from the familiar or reassuring realities of current state. They are not willing and/or able to push the boundaries of their vision. This can be expressed in a variety of ways - "We can't predict the future!", "That will never happen.", "We don't have the resources to do that.", or "I/we don't have the skills, abilities or talent to achieve ____________." I'm sure you can come up with a variety of other challenges, barriers, and "reasons" you have either heard or made up yourself when trying to be bold.
Now I'm not saying to simply pursue some dream that is a function of seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses. That can be a recipe for (rapid) failure. A BHAG MUST BE grounded in some sense of reality and realistic self-assessment. However, it must also PUSH you to the next level of possibility. It must cause you to stretch your skills and abilities. It must challenge your limiting beliefs and realities. In my estimation it has to be equal parts exciting and terrifying. It CAN'T be accomplished with your current way of thinking or doing things. That's the equation for complacency and mediocrity.
Let me give you my personal examples to try to illustrate the power and benefits of BHAG thinking. I'll start with my business example first. Just over seven years ago I was involuntarily reintroduced to the job market through a reorganization. A not uncommon experience for many these days. That began my journey as a consultant (first) and coach (second and now strongest calling). At the time, I set a target of $200,000+ in annual gross billings. The intent and hope was to recapture what I had just lost through termination of employment. My business plan at the time was predicated on that target, that BHAG. In reality, I had NO IDEA how to be a successful consultant or coach having devoted the previous 25+ years of my life to an entirely different career path. While I may have had a BHAG in the form of a revenue target it was ungrounded in the reality of my skill set and knowledge at the time. But having that target - and a need to continue to provide for my family - drove me to learn, network and develop a set of skills necessary to succeed. It drove me out of my comfort zone.
That's not where it stops, however. One of the potential challenges with a BHAG is plateauing once that big goal is hit. What next? The challenge, therefore, becomes setting the next BHAG and the next. It's not to say you can't be happy with your achievements but there a couple of realities at play here from both a personal and business perspective. First, standing pat is not a winning strategy in today's world. There are always new competitors working to overtake you. There are also new and evolving expectations on the part of your target market. Unless you are close to retirement coasting is not an option. In order to sustain success you must be continuously investing and reinvesting in what and who you are. Second, I believe we all need that creative edge and spark to keep our work engaging and fulfilling. Simply engaging in the "routine" tasks loses its appeal after some time. We can become disengaged from what and why we do things which I believe has a deleterious impact on the quality of work we produce for our clients. Third, the establishment of the next BHAG stretches your thinking - what got you here won't get you to the next level. The BHAG enforces self-evaluation and creativity.
For this reason I don't see BHAG as being singular. Rather, there is and should be an evolutionary flavor to BHAG's - success lays the foundation for the next impossible goal. This new stretch goal builds upon our learning in the first or previous round of achievement and can provide us with the confidence that the next impossible goal, while audacious, is achievable. I've moved from $200,000+ revenue goal to multiples thereof and am now pushing myself to think differently about what a multi-million dollar venture might require of me.
BreakPoint...an intentional stopping point or place to pause, an opportunity to
derive new knowledge, establish commitment to a new direction in one's career or life...
allowing one to evaluate a current path, effort and results, inspect one's environment and
reset for future success
Now for the life/non-business example. Over 10 years ago I set a goal to compete/participate in the Ironman Canada triathlon in Penticton. Much like my start as a consultant/coach I really had no idea what this would take at the outset of my journey. Just prior to this effort I could count on any number of limiting beliefs and barriers to my success - 230 pounds of weight to push/pull around over 225 km of course, a true phobia of water, asthmatic, 45 years of age, with multiple years of sedentary lifestyle to my credit. And the BHAG at this time was not just finishing the Ironman - it was to do so in under 14 hours. Not a podium finish to be sure but for the weekend warrior that I was a BHAG nonetheless. The achievements along the way to Penticton in August 2010 were a significant loss of weight (30 pounds), completion of multiple open water swims, decent results in shorter races, and a significant change in health status. End results in Ironman 2010 - incredibly deflating. I finished in about 16 hours and engaged in a heavy bout of self-chastisement. Upon reflection, however, if I hadn't set a BHAG of 14 hours I wonder if I might have made the cut off of 17 hours at all.
As of July 2019 I have set the next Ironman BHAG. Ironman is returning to Penticton in August 2020 and I will be there. And the BHAG's have been set - for from current 207 pounds to 165 pounds (month before the race start), marathon finishing time of less than 5 hours, and swim time for 3.8 km of just over an hour. Outside of the weight goal (last seen in my 20's) I have never achieved any of these goals. Putting those BHAG's out there, and reflecting on my past experiences, tells me that the tools, techniques, approaches, and intensity from before will be woefully insufficient to achieve my new goal. I'll have to prepare differently and with a new level of commitment than at any other point in my life. All the while managing feelings of self-doubt, reflecting on the fact that I will be 10 years older than in 2010, and with far more business and family obligations on my plate. What might results be? Can I breach the 14-hour finish time I have set for myself?
I don't know - but without my BHAG I can guarantee that the result will be even less exciting than if I never set my eyes high. Shoot for the stars and hit the moon!
BreakPoint...an intentional stopping point or place to pause, an opportunity to
derive new knowledge, establish commitment to a new direction in one's career or life...
allowing one to evaluate a current path, effort and results, inspect one's environment and
reset for future success
_________________________________________________________
Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions
www.breakpoint.solutions
780-250-2543
Helping
leaders realize their strengths and enabling organizations to achieve
their potential through the application of my leadership experience and
coaching skills. I act as a point of leverage for my clients. I AM their Force Multiplier.
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