As some of you may know, I used to work as a program evaluator and analyst for a small consulting firm. With that experience under my belt, I felt well equipped to measure the impact of Full Spectrum Agency. I was not. I underestimated how difficult it is to get people to participate in surveys.
In my effort to evaluate our programs, I stumbled on some great resources for self improvement and goal setting.
Navigating Maslow’s Hierarchy
Last year, I was sharing these struggles with a colleague in the nonprofit sector. She mentioned Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
By measuring where a person was on the hierarchy at the beginning of our program and where they are after six months, a year, etc., I could find the overall average increase in well-being of the group. We could demonstrate to funders and sponsors the true positive impact of Full Spectrum Agency’s programs.
This has not made data collection any easier, but it did spark an idea that influenced my decision to start coaching adults on the spectrum.
I put together a presentation to discuss Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Individual group members could take that knowledge home with them and come back to the group with updates.
By “putting our heads together,” we could brainstorm ideas to help individual group members with their life goals. The expectation of group updates will help keep us on track with our goals. Additional research led me to the Wheel of Life.
Using the Wheel of Life to set your goals
I brought handouts to my group and demonstrated how to use it, using my own life as an example. I encouraged our members to take some time to think through the following questions.
- Which areas of your life are you happy with?
- Which do you want to improve?
- What strategies have you researched that might work for you?
After answering these questions on our own, just like with Maslow’s Hierarchy, we could brainstorm ideas to help individual group members with their life goals.
It is a great idea, but it never got past the first session. One thing I have learned is that our Peer Support & Social Skills Meetup serves a unique purpose. Our members have an expectation that they can come share their challenges and practice their social skills. Some people feel disappointed or let down when there is a “curriculum” or training imposed on the group.
Just like our Navigating Healthy Relationships program, it would need its own space, separate from our Peer Support & Social Skills Meetup.
Maybe someday I will secure funding to run a personal growth and goal setting program, but until then, I will continue this work through individual and small group coaching.
For those of you who want to do it on your own, try the Life Wheel activity and let us know how it works for you. Think about what areas of your life you want to improve and research some strategies on your own that might help you get there. Good luck!
Lesson Learned
The larger takeaway from this story is this. Don’t get too fixated on your struggles or failures. They are frustrating, but everyone fails from time to time. Allow yourself to learn from the situation and see the positives that come from them.