I love the start of a new year.  It is the most optimistic time for a person and company generally.  Anything is possible in the new year.  Goals are set, dreams are discussed, and positivity abounds.  Those that know me personally will tell you, I am usually a very positive person anyway, and during the beginning of the year, that is magnified by everyone else’s positive energy around me.  It is much easier for me to convince a team that anything is possible when they have a year to do it!  

Here are some ideas to make it happen. 

REVIEW THE RESULTS FROM 2016

To make a plan for the following year, start by quickly (and I emphasize quickly) reviewing the previous one. What went well?  What was achieved?  What didn’t go as planned?  What would you have changed?  Answering all of these questions will allow you to get your mind right and moving toward the next year.  What were the best 3 things that happened? If I could go back and do anything different, what would it be?  What will I make sure doesn’t happen again this year?   These next level questions will allow you to start formulating real plans and moving on to the next stage.

CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES

Once you have answered most of these questions, take a minute and really relish and appreciate the successes.  Most of us don’t take near enough time to do this.  We skip over all of the good and head straight for the bad.  That isn’t healthy.  We all need to be reminded of what went well, even if the main thing that went well was survival.  If you survived, chances are, others didn’t.  You know what the best part of a personal shark attack story is?  The part where you can actually tell the story…If you are going to survive and even flourish, you have to learn to pick out the good that happened.  Sadly, it could probably always be worse. Recognize that and give you and your peeps a little credit for what went right!

REFOCUS FOR 2017

After some celebration, it is time to refocus and set new goals.  Answer these types of questions: What would a successful year look like?  What are the key results that could improve in the next 12 months that I would love to celebrate next year?  What is realistic for improvement in those areas?  Who should be responsible for ‘driving’ the results?  What are the ‘mile markers’ along the way to be sure we are on track?  What smaller categories lead to those bigger results?  If we improve those will the bigger ones improve automatically?  Getting ‘future focused’ on activities that lead to results, putting ONE person (if more than one is in charge, no one really is) on point to monitor and push the agenda, and finally setting targets tied to rewards are the quick keys to a successful plan for next year.

TIE IT ALL UP

We reviewed our results, celebrated successes, and refocused direction.  Now we just need to make sure everyone has a stake in the results.  Nothing pushes success faster than a team that has a common goal and polices its own results.  Everyone monitors everyone else and helps as needed to be sure all the ‘little things’ are taken care of.  It’s amazing.  If you do the little things, the big ones will follow. Examples of making this happen are bonuses and contests for the whole group, not individual.  It’s an all or nothing.  Everyone wins, or everyone doesn’t.  Each person has a reason to want the others to perform at their best.  

Take this positive time of year and use it to set a new agenda.  Capitalize on everyone’s feeling of new hope and set new goals.  Help them see that they are the most important asset you have and that you believe in them and their abilities.