The BARS Method: A Simple, Scalable Model for Personal & Professional Success

About 18 months ago, my business partner and I had one of our many meetings to discuss the future of our business – where we were, where we wanted to go, what our goals were – you know, a typical strategizing session. Neither of us can remember who said it first, but one of us remarked, “It’s time to raise our bar.” We knew we could do better!

As we began to unpack that statement, we expanded on it and developed ‘Raise Your BARS’ – an acronym for Behaviors + Actions = Results & Success, which we believe was a divine revelation. In just 10 minutes, this framework took shape, giving birth to a brand we could rally behind and develop programs and teachings for—the BARS Method.

The method’s core principles emphasize the significance of our current behaviors and actions. John Maxwell says that the secret to our success lies in our daily routine, and that’s the idea underlying our model. Are our daily behaviors and actions driving us toward our desired outcomes and success, or are they preventing us from achieving our full potential? Once we analyze our agenda, we can then delve deeper by asking ourselves which daily actions in particular are making the biggest difference for us.

How Can the BARS Method Improve Your Results in Life?

Bear with me for a moment as I get a bit personal. My smartphone is one of my biggest pitfalls. It’s a great invention, but I often catch myself scrolling through endless videos on social media. Before I know it, 30 minutes or more have passed. Then, I feel the guilt and shame of wasting this time. (Oh, how I sometimes miss the days when our phones were attached to the wall in our homes.) But here’s the thing—I’m learning that beating myself up about it doesn’t help. Instead, I’m focusing on small, intentional behavior changes to reclaim that time. It’s a work in progress, and every step counts, right? 

Let me ask you, as you were reading this, what behavior or action do you know in your heart that you need to modify, change, or eliminate in your life to get the results you dream of or desire?

Applying the BARS Method for Personal & Professional Success

Whether we’re working on the clock to develop our teams or off the clock to pursue our own goals, we all make choices every day that help or hurt our progress. The BARS method can help you strategically shift those choices toward your goals.

PERSONAL GOALS

First, take a close look at your current behaviors and actions within your personal life. We make thousands of decisions every day, from how we spend our time and money to what we eat and wear. Once you see how you choose and act, ask yourself these questions.

• What behavior is helping me move toward my goal(s)?
• What actions do I need to take in order to reach my goals quickly?

Then, clearly define what results you desire and what success looks like to you.

PROFESSIONAL ROLE

As a team leader, you can implement the BARS Method by carefully evaluating your team’s behaviors and actions. This intentional approach will not only boost engagement, enhance customer loyalty, and improve profitability, but it also prompts you to ask: “Am I dedicating enough time to help my team develop the right behaviors and actions?”

Once you’ve identified three specific behaviors that need improvement—whether it’s team cohesive teamwork, more effective communication, level of engagement, or ownership of tasks—the next step is to take action:

a) Create a development plan – Work individually with team members to develop specific goals around these behaviors. Ensure accountability by setting measurable actions that align with both organizational objectives and individual team member growth.

b) Provide consistent feedback – Reinforce positive behaviors by giving regular, constructive feedback. Recognize and celebrate the small wins and progress toward these behaviors, which, in turn, will motivate the team to keep improving.

c) Lead by example (this is vital to your results and level of success) – Demonstrate the behaviors you want to see. When you model open communication, take initiative, and show accountability, your team will naturally follow suit.

By focusing on these targeted actions, you’ll cultivate a team that feels valued, empowered, and equipped to drive results in productivity, customer satisfaction, and overall workplace morale.

1. START SMALL.

Sustainable change is made over time, not overnight. Begin with small, manageable changes to your behaviors and actions. Set measurable goals you can reach today or by the end of the week.

2. CONSISTENCY IS KEY.

John Maxwell shares that change happens daily, not in a day. Now that you have small steps you can take, take them regularly. Add them to your to-do list. You must work on this daily and develop the good habits you want.

3. REFLECT AND ADJUST.

John Maxwell also shares that experience is not the best teacher, but evaluated experience is. At the end of every week, reflect on the past week and review your progress toward your desired results and success. Are you making faster progress toward your goals? What is helping you get there? Make adjustments as necessary.

4. SEEK SUPPORT.

You don’t have to go through the process by yourself – coaching can help you get results quicker than doing it alone. Maxwell Leadership has a team of certified coaches who are prepared to help, and you can find your local coach here.

5. HAVE GRACE.

No one is perfect, so you shouldn’t ask yourself to be. If you fall back into unhelpful behaviors and actions, show yourself some grace and start again.

Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum – get a guide to lead you toward your goals.

The more you grow, the better you choose; the better you choose, the more your actions take you where you want to go. Maxwell Leadership’s Growth Plan helps you develop the personal and professional skills that up-level your success across the board, or in the areas that matter most to you. Follow curated, topic-specific growth journeys, or join our weekly calls with growth experts for live, personalized coaching. Sign up today to start raising your BARS!

About the author

Al Ruttan is a Maxwell Leadership executive program leader, coach, teacher, and speaker who desires to help organizations grow their teams, increase productivity, and improve their bottom line. Al comes from 30+ years in the big box retail industry, leading large teams in high-volume retail stores. He’s taken up his passion for leadership and personal growth and now helps leaders grow themselves and their teams. His business mantra is to “unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others.”