Accounts Payable News^®

Is This the Year for Saly or Penny?

We will all have the opportunity to share in the journey of some incredible athletes later on this year; all of whom know exactly what they are best at doing. They dedicate their lives to the pursuit of one goal. Many have life-long training plans in place so they compete in London 2012 at their peak.

They most certainly are not looking for SALY.  Same As Last Year.  Are you?

They will be making every PENNY count.  They will be looking forward to the Prospect of competing in 2012 with Energy, they will bring New ideas and explore New Opportunities in order to make it a Year to remember. So in 2012 I invite you to consider:

• Prospects
• Energy
• New ideas
• New opportunities
• Year to remember

I gave many presentations in 2011 and Applied Positive Psychology for Accounts Payable Success was without doubt the longest title for any presentation I gave.  Perhaps “APP 4 AP” would have been better? But the last thing I want to introduce to the world is more jargon and acronyms.  What I did want to introduce was the concept and power of knowing what you are best at, connecting that capability to your role, your team and the goals of your organisation. Attendees to the IAPP conference at Wokefield Park showed me that the natural strengths which successful AP professionals often demonstrate are:

• Order - People strong in Order are exceptionally well-organised in everything they do
• Detail - People strong in Detail naturally focus on the small things that others easily miss, ensuring that everything is accurate and error-free
• Adherence - People strong in Adherence like to follow processes, operating firmly within rules and guidelines
• Explaining - People strong at Explaining, simplify things so that others can understand
• Resilience - People strong in Resilience take hardships and setbacks in their stride, recovering quickly and getting on with things again.

(Ref: CAPP Strengths Descriptions 2010)

I witnessed many others too, but these five resonated with so many people that they are worthy of listing again here. What are your natural strengths and capabilities? The things which you Do Well, Do Often and Enjoy Doing? What would you add to this list in order to represent the very best of you?

I would invite you to ask those who know you best to assist you in building a vocabulary which describes what you’re best at.  Why not download our simple form and ask 5 people “what activities or skills do you witness which I Do Well, Do Often and Enjoy doing?”

By increasing awareness of yourself you will automatically start to understand how others see you.  You will also be aware of the skills and talents which you can lean on when things get tough; and most importantly, the things which you could be world class at.  Most athletes competing in the Olympics will be good enough to compete in one event and one event only. What are you good enough at to compete at a world class standard?

As we think about the New Year, the year of the London Olympics and the records which will be broken, the medals which will be won and the stories which will dominate the news; take a moment to consider you own strengths and develop your vision for success in 2012.

The vision for success could be based on our friend PENNY

• Prospects – What prospects do you want to be pursuing? A focus for each quarter with one specific activity each month would be a great place to start.
• Energy – How are you energised? Identify with the people, places, music, emotions, & situations which energise you. Maximise opportunities to energise yourself.
• New ideas – If you could change one thing in 2012 to enable you to improve on your most natural strength. Decide what it would be. Then do it.
• New opportunities – What have you wanted to do for ages but not done?  Make an agreement with a friend to do it by a particular date. Write it down and you will be eight times more likely to do it. If you’re not a great organiser, then you’ll know someone who is and will help you. How great will you feel when you’ve done it?
• Year to remember – London will be remembered for the Olympics in 2012. What will be the Olympic torch in your life in 2012? Enjoy it, share it and have fun.

“You already have all that you need to succeed” – Dean Weller

By Dean Weller, Dean Weller Associates Ltd