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After listening to this lesson, respond to the following questions:Crenshaw, D. (2022, Jul 19). Improving Your Focus. LinkedIn Learning. What will you do to avoid distractions from your IDP? How will you organize your priorities?Who have you identified to be your coach?In response to at least two of your peers, provide any feedback you have for your classmate.
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After listening to this lesson, respond to the following questions:
• Crenshaw, D. (2022, Jul 19). Improving Your Focus. LinkedIn Learning.
1. What will you do to avoid distractions from your IDP?
2. How will you organize your priorities?
3. Who have you identified to be your coach?
In response to at least two of your peers, provide any feedback you have for your classmate.
CLASSMATE 1
Class ,
To avoid distractions and stay focused on my intended tasks and goals, I employ several strategies and
techniques. These approaches can be applied to both individuals and organizations when creating an
Individual Development Plan (IDP) to maximize productivity and effectiveness:
1. Goal Clarity: Ensure that the IDP has clear and specific goals. Having a well-defined sense of purpose
and direction can help reduce distractions as you have a clear path to follow.
2. Prioritization: Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and
importance. This helps in focusing on high-priority tasks first and minimizing distractions from lowerpriority ones.
3. Time Management: Create a schedule or set specific time blocks for working on your IDP. Stick to
these time slots and avoid distractions during these periods.
4. Designated Workspace: Create a dedicated and organized workspace for working on your IDP. This
minimizes physical distractions and sets the stage for productive work.
5. Digital Distraction Control: Use apps or software to block or limit access to distracting websites or
social media during your work hours. You can also turn off non-essential notifications on your devices.
6. Single-Tasking: Avoid multitasking as it can reduce overall productivity and increase distractions.
Focus on one task at a time.
7. Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness can help you become more aware of your
distractions and improve your ability to stay on task.
8. Breaks: Schedule regular breaks to recharge your focus. Short, planned breaks can actually improve
productivity by preventing burnout and mental fatigue.
Remember, distractions are a common challenge, and it’s important to be patient with yourself as you
work on minimizing them. Regularly review and update your strategies to ensure you’re making progress
toward your IDP goals.
Organizing my priorities involves a structured approach of first setting SMART goals, categorizing them,
and assessing their importance and urgency. Once categorized, I rank these goals and attach
timeframes, ensuring a balance between personal and professional aspects. Regular review and flexibility
are essential, enabling me to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining accountability through
support networks. This prioritization is translated into daily to-do lists, helping me allocate specific time
blocks in my schedule for the most critical tasks. Saying no when necessary and prioritizing self-care are
also important components, recognizing that a healthy work-life balance is crucial for sustained
productivity and fulfillment.
My previous supervisor was more than just a manager; they played a pivotal role in my career growth and
personal development. Their guidance and mentorship were instrumental in helping me navigate the
challenges and complexities of the workplace. Here are some specific ways in which they served as a
coach:
1. Feedback and Performance Improvement: My supervisor consistently provided constructive feedback
on my work. They not only pointed out areas for improvement but also highlighted my strengths. This
feedback loop allowed me to continuously develop and excel in my role.
2. Goal Setting: Together with my supervisor, I set clear and achievable goals that were aligned with the
organization’s objectives. These goals served as a roadmap for my career progression and gave me a
sense of purpose in my work.
3. Opportunities for Skill Development: My supervisor recognized my potential and proactively offered
opportunities for skill development. Whether through on-the-job training, workshops, or additional
responsibilities, they helped me acquire new skills and knowledge that were valuable for both my current
role and future career prospects.
4. Resolution and Problem-Solving: In times of challenges or conflicts, my supervisor provided valuable
insights and guidance on how to address these issues. Their experience and wisdom in handling
workplace dynamics were invaluable in finding effective solutions.
5. Career Guidance: My supervisor took a keen interest in my long-term career aspirations. They provided
advice on potential career paths, how to navigate organizational politics, and strategies for advancement.
This helped me chart a course for my professional future.
6. Networking and Exposure: They encouraged me to expand my professional network and gain
exposure to different aspects of the organization. This exposure not only broadened my horizons but also
opened up new opportunities for growth and development.
In sum, my previous supervisor’s mentorship and coaching were instrumental in my career development.
Their guidance helped me achieve my goals, develop new skills, and navigate the complexities of the
professional world. This experience reinforced the importance of having a trusted mentor or coach in
one’s career journey, as their insights and support can be transformative.
Crenshaw, D. (2022, Jul 19). Improving Your Focus. LinkedIn Learning.
Bailey, C. (2018, October 29). 4 Strategies for overcoming Distraction. Harvard Business
Review. https://hbr.org/201
CLASSMATE 2
After listening to Dave Crenshaw again from Week 6, after weeks of moving towards building
an Individual Development Plan (IDP), my outlook on improving myself has changed to become
solely focused on the protection and growth of my focus (Crenshaw, 2022). The purpose of an
IDP is for a person to improve their current performance while building on strengths related to
their current job. The IDP identifies strengths and weaknesses so that a person or company can
improve to meet their goals (Watson, 2022). To protect and grow a focus, tactical techniques
must be employed to remain focused for a long time. By creating an IDP, I can stay focused and
prepared for my future, regardless of the career I am currently in or the job I am planning. Three
factors that are the central nerve to my focus are avoiding distractions, organizing priorities, and
establishing a coach to strengthen my knowledge, skills, and abilities.
As mentioned in week 6, the 4 P’s process establishes the beginning steps for avoiding
distractions. The 4 P’s are planning, prioritizing, processes, and pace. Determining and recording
my methods for each aligns the 4 P’s to provide assistance and guidelines that protect against
distractions while prioritizing what is urgent and essential to me.
1. Planning: A function of personal or organizational management that involves setting
objectives and determining a course of action for achieving those tasks. The objectives
should be broken down into smaller tasks to establish more manageable steps to progress
along a timeline (Radojicic, 2023).
•
Protect Against Distractions (Dugan, 2023):
i.
Clarify the Goals – Developing a clear understanding of the objectives through
short-term and long-term goals recognizes which influences align with the focus.
ii.
Develop a Solid Plan – A plan should be treated as a roadmap, a structured
approach to follow a timeline in which the goals are broken down into smaller
manageable tasks that align with the focus.
1. Prioritizing: Organize your goals into an order of importance, which can be done in four
steps, also known as the Eisenhower Principle. First, the highest priority will be tasks
considered important and urgent. Second, the next set of tasks is considered important but
not urgent. Third, tasks are considered urgent but not important. Fourth, the last group of
tasks should be identified as neither important nor urgent. Prioritizing tasks allows one to
focus on time-crucial or critical tasks to avoid less important ones (Radojicic, 2023).
•
Protect Against Distractions (Dungan, 2023):
Prioritize the Goals – Prioritize the tasks based on urgency and relevance for
long-term goals.
ii.
Cultivate Self-awareness – Understanding a person’s strengths and weaknesses
will allow them to remain self-aware of situations and influences that will protect
them against distractions.
i.
1. Processing: Building a checklist, timetable, or set of instructions will eliminate the
factors of human error (Moogan, 2019). Ensuring everything is needed before execution
is vital to saving time and minimizing the risk of distractions from unexpected obstacles
and interruptions.
•
Grow Against Distractions (Dugan, 2023):
i.
Set Boundaries – Protect your goals against external influences and distractions
that don’t contribute towards your goals.
ii.
Supporting Connections – Surround yourself with individuals who encourage,
provide guidance, and keep your aspirations. They should be willing to respect
and protect your goals from outside distractions.
1. Pacing: Establish a baseline to determine your tasks’ progress, including how much time
you can spend on each task. Working at a regular pace will help maintain motivation and
morale while adjusting to obstacles and distractions (Moogan, 2019).
•
Grow Against Distractions (Dugan, 2023):
i.
Learn from Setbacks – Do not dwell on the setbacks and distractions that will
occur; instead, utilize them as opportunities for growth. By analyzing what went
wrong and adapting, you can advance along your timeline with a newer
knowledge of the task.
ii.
Celebrate Milestones – Acknowledge your progress along the way builds a sense
of accomplishment, making it easier to resist distractions.
When a person is looking for a coach, they are looking for someone who can benefit their
life by identifying challenges and seeking opportunities (Cogan, 2023). A coaching style that I
look towards has the characteristics of a positive, enthusiastic, supportive, trusting, and goaloriented communicator. My current first-line supervisor, Gregory Stone, has pushed me toward
my goals considerably. He is a family-focused, educationally motivated individual who enjoys
watching others around him strive for higher standards. As a retired Major in the United States
Army, he has no obligation to coach me in any aspect outside of the corporate environment. The
three qualities that he brings to our work environment are (Cogan, 2023):
• Expansive – My coach can identify the bigger picture of investing in the workforce.
Instead of limiting, he chooses to remember that investment in others increases
longevity in the organization.
•
Care – As a coach, he can see that my success is his to share. Asking numerous
questions about the progress of my education, my family’s upcoming purchase and
move to a house, and my progress as the lead contractor of an exercise shows his
care. He could limit our conversations to focus strictly on work, but he recognizes
that a positive environment promotes productivity.
•
Professionalism & Experience – Having a coach who used to perform the same role
in the organization is beneficial since he has all the knowledge to perform my job. He
is not guessing through the procedures and can reference any questions. He holds me
to a higher standard than most because I am self-driven and determined. Qualities that
I believe he sees in himself. Through our one-on-one conversations, he provides
feedback to ensure my goals remain on track while providing career guidance that
will benefit my progression.
Reference:
Cogan, K. (2023, March 24). How to Help Your Athletes Through Uncertainty.
Athlete365. https://olympics.com/athlete365/well-being/how-to-help-your-athletesthrough-uncertainty/
Cook, J. (2021, May 17). 5 Key Qualities to Look for in a
Coach. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2021/05/17/5-key-qualitiesto-look-for-in-a-coach/?sh=2ea0a3545f17
Crenshaw, D. (2022, July 19). Improving Your Focus. LinkedIn
Learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/improving-your-focus/learning-toimprove-your-focus
Dugan, L. (2023, September 6). Stay focused! How to Avoid Outside Influences Distracting You
from Your Goals. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stay-focused-howavoid-outside-influences-distracting-laurie-dugan/
Moogan, P. (2019, November 29). Principles of Smart Business Growth. State of
Digital. https://www.stateofdigital.com/principles-smart-business-growth/
Radojicic, B. (2023, May 5). What are the 4 P’s in Time Management? Time
Analytics. https://timeanalyticssoftware.com/what-are-the-4-ps-in-timemanagement/
Watson, B. (2022, September 15). Individual Development Plan: How & Why to Create One.
Eddy. https://eddy.com/hr-encyclopedia/individual-development-plan/
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