By Catherine Lang-Cline
Making resolutions and setting goals feel a little different this year. Being successful last year ranged from a profitable pivot to just surviving and regardless of how the year ended up, we are all looking at our work and our careers a little differently. So, before we run into the year too quickly with a statement of “THIS IS OUR YEAR!” let’s take a minute to figure out what it is we want to do differently. What are our resolutions?
Here are a few things that you may have discovered about yourself and your business during the past year along with a few follow-up questions to ask yourself:
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Relationships are everything. You may have discovered that you liked your team more than you thought. Maybe less. You may also have discovered the same for your clients. Were your relationships with your clients made stronger? Or did you realize there was not really a relationship at all? What are you hoping to resolve this year with them? Relationships with your co-workers or employees really proved to be valuable this past year as well. How have those relationships changed and what do you want to keep doing in the future? Do you keep checking in with them? Maybe your resolution is to build a stronger team and client base.
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Time is our most valuable asset. This year will you spend less time commuting and work more from home? Will you and your employees have a better life balance? Will you keep meeting with clients virtually to save time and money? Speaking of money, did you find that you were able to live on less in exchange for a more fulfilled life? Maybe your resolution is to build an environment for you and your team that allows or keeps the flexibility needed to work hard and to also recharge.
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Taking care of ourselves. More people were walking and doing activities for better health both physically or mentally last year. Is getting back into the old routine sound appealing to you? Or are you liking the new practices you have taken on? While we return to work fully, are we going to resolve to keep up those personal, beneficial practices? Maybe your resolution is to keep active, keep learning, and to keep listening to your mind and body.
We are entering a new year with a completely recalibrated way of thinking. It is also an amazing opportunity to redirect our businesses and our lives. Did you notice that none of the above-mentioned procedures, revenue, or growth? That is because investing in these three things will deliver all of that. Strong relationships, strong minds, and giving our teams a great environment to work in will deliver loyalty from employees and clients as well as results to the bottom line.
Keep up those best practices that we learned in 2020 and let’s get to work.