<p><img style="margin:0 0 0 10px;" alt="Microsoft Clip Art: automobiles,autos,cars,dashboards,driving,landscapes,mirrors,motor vehicles,photographs,rearview mirror,rearview mirrors,roads,steering wheels,transportation,travels,vehicles" align="right" src="http://officeimg.vo.msecnd.net/en-us/images/MH900399722.jpg"></p> <p>As we come to the end of the year, now is a great time to look back in your rear view mirror as you prepare to accelerate into 2011.&nbsp; </p> <p>Whether you are planning your own career or planning for your business, a 360 degree view of where you have been and where you are going ensures a safer and more productive journey.&nbsp; </p> <h4>Get ready and DRIVE.</h4> <p><strong>D = Deliberate Direction</strong></p> <p>Being deliberate about what your desired destination is and the path you plan to take to get there is the first step in the process.&nbsp; Map out your plan, set milestone markers along the way, and set aside time to insure that all the tools and resources you will need are in place.&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>R = Review</strong></p> <p>Review the road you have traveled so far.&nbsp; Were there times when you hit a pot hole or got stuck in a long detour?&nbsp; Did others on the road you were traveling zoom by you? Without getting mired down in frustration, take an objective look at why and how these things happened.&nbsp; What could you or your team have done differently to avoid these challenges.&nbsp; Were there warning signs along the way that you might have missed or key turning points that could have been anticipated sooner?&nbsp; By looking back at these experiences, we learn can learn from them.</p> <p><strong>I = Innovate</strong></p> <p>Innovation is the art of doing something in a new way to make it better.&nbsp; When you looked back on your 2010 experiences, what were the things you wished you had done differently?&nbsp; These are your innovation opportunities.&nbsp; They may be new processes, new tools to take advantage of or changes to your business vehicle. Think like a master mechanic.&nbsp; What can you tweak to get your business or your career firing on all cylinders?&nbsp; Is there a supercharger that's perfect for your goals?</p> <p><strong>V = Velocity</strong></p> <p>Merriam Webster defines velocity as:</p> <blockquote> <p><em>1&nbsp; a</em> <strong>:</strong> quickness of motion <strong>:</strong> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/speed">speed</a> &lt;the <em>velocity</em> of sound&gt;</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>&nbsp;<em>b</em> <strong>:</strong> rapidity of movement &lt;[my horse's] strong suit is grace &amp; personal comeliness, rather than <em>velocity</em> — <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/#">Mark Twain</a>&gt; </p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p><em>c</em> <strong>:</strong> speed imparted to something &lt;the power pitcher relies on <em>velocity</em> — Tony Scherman&gt;</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>2 <strong>:</strong> the rate of change of position along a straight line with respect to time <strong>:</strong> the derivative of position with respect to time </p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>3 <em>a</em> <strong>:</strong> rate of occurrence or action <strong>:</strong> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/rapidity">rapidity</a> &lt;the <em>velocity</em> of historical change — R. J. Lifton&gt;</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>&nbsp;<em>b</em> <strong>:</strong> rate of turnover &lt;the <em>velocity</em> of <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/#">money</a>&gt;</p></blockquote> <p>Understanding how quickly you will or wish to move forward is key.&nbsp; Did you have what you needed to propel yourself or your company forward this year?&nbsp; Where can you find it? Are you or your business ready to support the growth you have planned for 2011?&nbsp; By measuring our past velocity and the resources that it took to active that rate of change, we can estimate what we will need going forward and plan accordingly.</p> <p><strong>E = Engage</strong></p>OK, here we go.&nbsp; You are ready to engage and get your business or your career in gear.&nbsp; You know where you have been, where you are going, and what you need to get there on time.&nbsp; So strap on your seatbelt, rev your engines and start your journey into 2011.&nbsp; The road gets easier once you master the art of the DRIVE.  <p>Thanks for stopping by.&nbsp; Stay tuned....</p> <p>&nbsp; I'll be sharing more tips to help you get ready for 2011 throughout the month of December.</p> <blockquote> <p>Joan Koerber-Walker</p></blockquote> <p>About the Author:</p> <p><a href="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/koerber-walker-0564.jpg"><img style="border-width:0;margin:0 10px 0 0;" border="0" alt="Koerber-Walker-056" align="left" src="http://new.corepurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/koerber-walker-056_thumb.jpg" width="83" height="103"></a> An entrepreneur, author, speaker and corporate advisor, <a href="www.linkedin.com/in/joankoerberwalker">Joan Koerber-Walker's</a> journey has spanned from corporate America to entrepreneurship and non-profits, as well as into community leadership and through the halls of Washington D.C.&nbsp;&nbsp; To learn more about the art of the DRIVE,&nbsp; you can contact her&nbsp; by clicking <a href="http://corepurpose.com/contact.html">here</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div style="display:inline;margin:0;padding:0;" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8f0ab7e6-12b2-41d7-86f1-2964cda08888" class="wlWriterSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Joan%20Koerber-Walker" rel="tag">Joan Koerber-Walker</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CorePurpose" rel="tag">CorePurpose</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Business%20Planning" rel="tag">Business Planning</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Business%20Strategy" rel="tag">Business Strategy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Entrepreneruship.%20entrepreneurs" rel="tag">Entrepreneruship. entrepreneurs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/getting%20ready%20for%202011.%20Business%20Tips" rel="tag">getting ready for 2011. 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