Every January I, like most folks, try and think about how I want the new year to pan out. I gave up on resolutions forever ago. I never stuck to them and subsequently felt ashamed. (I'm a recovering self-bully.) From 2020 until just this year my personal goal was to “survive the year.” Not so much physically (thank goodness) but surviving career changes, financial stress and normal family/life stuff. It’s been a rocky few years and I sometimes haven’t been able to see the forest for the trees. But, as the saying goes, “Hope is not a strategy.” Not a good one, anyway.
This year is different. On a personal level instead of resolutions or hope, I kicked off the year by setting intentions. I took time to think about some things I’d like to accomplish personally, like volunteering or finding opportunities to be of service in my community and church. Some others are writing more “thank you” notes, reading a book a month, and finding an indoor exercise routine I really enjoy. My final intention is to show up with gratitude, love, and kindness in life and work.
The difference between intentions and resolutions, at least in my mind, is intentions seem more realistic and forgiving. In 2020, I reached out to a gratitude mentor, Tanmeet Sethi (her 2016 Ted Talk here: https://youtu.be/HHTmiHB6aXk). I was freaking out because of the overwhelming uncertainty caused by the pandemic. In addition to teaching me to practice gratitude she also said something like, “Control is an illusion. Isn’t life always uncertain?” (Drop the mic)
As the CEO of Mercury, I create goals for the business; strategy and tactics to drive the business forward. Like all leaders at the beginning of a new fiscal year, the next step is aligning everyone in the organization around the plan. One of our core services is helping clients develop communication strategies to rally the team. Intentional communication is a linchpin of successfully gaining and maintaining strategic alignment. Internally, my small team also gets a strong dose of communication. It’s my job, as the leader, to have the plan. But I can accomplish nothing without the work of my team.
If you’re not the CEO, you play an even more important role in successfully executing the business plan. It starts with understanding the direction, which your boss should provide, but “how” it gets done is largely decided by you. So, I’ll offer some unsolicited advice - get good at setting goals!
As an executive coach, I am surprised by the number of leaders who come to me with a desire to improve their time management skills. What we often discover together is that it’s not so much a “time management” issue as it is a “too-much-honey-not-enough-bee” issue. The business climate is tough. The level of mental agility it takes to manage staffing issues, changing business landscapes, evolving work-styles, and just fighting to stay alive in this economy, is harrowing. My two cents, get good at setting goals! Did I repeat myself? YES. It’s THAT important. Goal setting and mapping out milestones can help you plan, delegate and manage your time. There is a lot of to be said about the positive psychological effects of winning. It’s very hard to win if you don’t have a plan.
Here’s my recipe for successfully setting goals and peaking your head out of the weeds for a change:
Step 1: Soul Search: Take a moment to reflect on your strengths and areas where you can improve. This step will help you set meaningful and realistic goals.
Step 2: Set SM²ART Goals: SM²ART goals are a secret weapon! Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This tried-and-true framework provides clarity and structure, making goals easier to achieve. I add that extra M for Motivation - knowing why provides that extra push to achieve your goals!
Step 3: Take Action: Break your goals up into action steps. Think of them as a roadmap to success. Pro tip - put the action steps into your calendar and get busy!
Step 4: Assess & Adjust: Check in on your goals frequently. Assess progress and tweak if necessary. What gets measured, gets done!
Step 5: Celebrate! Take time to celebrate wins, learn from setbacks, and move quickly to the next challenge.
What are your intentions for the year? How are you going to show up? What new things will you try this year? Whatever it is, write it down. Put it out in the universe (just like I’m doing). Who knows, maybe one of you will hit me up and say, “how’s it going with those thank you notes?” We all get stronger when we support one another.
Finally, thanks for reading this! I’m sincerely grateful to be in your world.
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