Resolutions Worth Making

If you have a desire to get new results this year I offer 8 things. Eight behaviours. Five to start and three to stop.

These come from our direct experiences with leaders. Listening to them share what they most want for their businesses.

All want to unlock the potential in their organisation.

To break down silos. Foster a culture of experimentation and to give people the courage to try new things.

They want to tap into more of what people have to offer. To build organisational cultures of ownership and initiative. To end passivity and fear.

The behaviours you will read about are tried and tested. But they are not always applied.

The pressure and the pace of daily business push them to the side. So they get relegated. Old habits kick in and each year seems to roll by without much change.

No breakthroughs. No shifts. People lose hope and feel disappointed.

It does not have to be this way.

Let’s begin with the START

1. Create clarity. Cut through the noise and simplify your business.

Define a purpose, course of action and goals that people understand and believe in. Concentrate precious effort, attention and resources only on what matters. Beware the trap of too many priorities. Too many mean none at all.
2. Generate energy. Charge up the spirit of your organisation in 2019.

Not only in your own area but across the organisation. Inspire hope and confidence. Encourage. Support. Raise the standard. Assist people to grow. Your personal conduct matters too. No business will ever rise above the passion of its leaders.
3. Build an awesome team. Transform your team into a performance powerhouse.

Teamwork is widely spoken about and admired. But remains untapped and elusive. Make your team stand out as exceptional. It takes courage and persistence, but in one year a team can be totally transformed.
4. Over communicate. Be the Chief Reminding Officer.

Life is busy. There are distractions and problems. People need reminding. Reinforce, over and over again, what is true and important about your organisation. Your purpose, your goals, your vital behaviours. Make it a two-way thing. Listen. Ask questions. Involve. This builds trusts, generates commitment and inspires confidence.
5. Obsess about the details. Yes the details!

I don’t mean micro managing (see below). The best leaders I know intimately understand what makes their business tick. This keeps them awake at night and inspires them during the day. Own the details more than anybody else in the business. The when, the what and the how. Assume nothing will happen unless you kickstart it and see it through.

And now 3 to STOP

1. Stop avoiding difficult issues. Sweeping difficult issues and conversations under the carpet is tempting.

But never advisable in the long run. Fearing conflict and wanting to be liked is a strong human driver. But it leads to problems. Poor performance and behaviour are high stakes issues. So are unmet expectations. Make 2019 the year you confront issues early and tell the truth kindly.
2. Stop micro managing. Doing the work of others is not a good idea.

For you and for them. It robs people of the opportunity to learn, grow and make mistakes. And it stops you from working on the greater challenges that lie ahead. Get out the way so that others can start proving themselves and you can leave your comfort zone.
3. Stop admiring the problem. It never takes a genius to point out the problem.

It takes a leader to do something about it. Closely related to admiring the problem is complaining. It’s a cancer that spreads. Attacking the immune system of your business. Solving problems is how you create value. It’s the reason why you’re there!