Land Your Culture Moon-shot Goals
Dec 31, 2023
When NASA took on the challenge of putting a person on the moon, they didn’t start with “now” and work forward, they started with “then”—the day they wanted to land on the moon—July 20, 1969, when the earth and moon were closest. They planned backwards from that date, i.e., “Where do we need to be on July 19, July 18,” and so on. They set goals backwards, knowing when they wanted Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon, and what it would take each week to get him there.
How can you use NASA’s planning process to set culture goals?
Here are three ways you best set culture goals for your moon-shot in the New Year.
Total Focus
How do you react when someone mentions something like a dancing bear wearing a red vest with a black top hat—and tells you not to think about it? What’s the first thing that flashes in your mind?
Yep, that bear.
With just a little suggestion your mind focuses your thoughts very quickly.
So why is it such a challenge for you to focus your thoughts about your New Year culture goals?
Because your mind focuses your thoughts very quickly and with just a little suggestion.
“Squirrel!” anyone?
Coach your mind to filter out some thoughts and focus on others. Stare at your New Year culture goals. Glance at everything else.
Your mind is like a muscle. Exercise and strengthen it to do what you want.
NASA had one goal—put a person on the moon.
What’s your one, culture moon-shot goal for the New Year?
Time Frame
Do you set culture goals forward, like, “I want to increase engagement by 12%,” without knowing by when? And try to raise engagement 12% all at once, realize you can’t, and give up?
Set a realistic goal—increase engagement 12%—and a target date, like December 30th. Then, target date intermediate goals like 6% by June 30th, and so forth.
This coupling of a time frame with your culture moon-shot goal allows you to measure your progress along the way. Course correction is much easier.
When will you accomplish your culture moon-shot goal in the New Year?
Task Follow-Through
Everybody’s business is nobody’s business which means nobody does business.
Couple your culture moon-shot goal with a time frame.
Then examine what successful tasks contribute to its accomplishment. Each task has a responsible person—“Who will get this done in this time frame?”
NASA had various engineers charged with a plethora of tasks. Yet each contributed to the moon-shot goal on a specified time frame.
Who does what work to accomplish your moon-shot culture goal and by when in the New Year?
Establish accountability so everyone does their best.
Shoot for the moon with your work culture goals in the New Year. Follow NASA’s lead in getting the job done.
Make one small step for you today…and one giant culture leap for the New Year!
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