Auld Lang Syne. I’m not trying to rush the end of the year, but before we know it, we’ll be sipping champagne, toasting the arrival of 2019, and making New Year’s resolutions. Not so fast! Before you announce or commit to changes in the new year, take some time to think and reflect on not just what, but why.
I was talking with a small business owner recently. She told me she’s planning to increase her firm’s involvement in several social media platforms. When I asked her why, she explained that the firm is planning to introduce a new service line sometime during 2019. It’s still in the development stage and the full implementation may not happen until the third quarter. However, she recognizes that while she has a solid client base that can take advantage of these new services, she wants to extend her reach and attract new organizations as well. Strengthening the firm’s social media presence will establish them as influencers in their industry. So they are going to launch targeted outreach campaigns to get in front of people and organizations with whom they want to engage.
Listening to her explanation, I realized that she’d given a great deal of thought to her plan. She understood:
- What was going to change (adding a new service)
- When the change was going to happen (third quarter 2019)
- What she wanted to accomplish (grow her client base)
- How she was going to accomplish it (targeted social media campaigns)
What does this have to do with New Year’s resolutions? Everything! Think about why you make them—other than wanting to shed some bad habits, which is a noble intention. As you think about 2019, ask yourself:
- What went well in 2018, and how can I build on that?
- How can it be better?
- What new beginnings or challenges will 2019 bring?
- What could or should change to meet those challenges?
- How will I go about making those changes?
As you prepare for the year ahead, also give some thought to shedding those things that are redundant – like the report that the department has always prepared (no one knows why anymore) but is never read! What about ways of doing things that are no longer effective? How could you use the time that was spent preparing that report to accomplish something new that will have greater impact?
Put some deliberate thought into the resolutions and changes you want to make in 2019 in both your professional and personal lives. It’s a great time to break some old habits. Don’t be the person who lets life and change happen to you. Take charge, and make life and change happen for you!
We wish you a very happy holiday season and send you all good wishes for a wonderful 2019!
Cornelia & Barbara
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