Reflect, Prepare, Get Ready: For the New Year
Fourth quarter’s end is just days away! Whether you’re busy with end of year reporting, holiday sales, or even if business is slower this time of year, this is the perfect time to reflect on this year’s performance, identify your wins and opportunities, and get prepared for the new year.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in a leadership role or simply focused on developing your career. These key strategies will support a strong finish while maximizing your momentum for 2019.
Engagement
So, you’ve met your deadlines, accomplished your goals, and ready to coast your way into the new year. Not so fast; you’re not done yet! When you get comfortable, you get bored; you lose focus; you lose sight of the goal. Instead, leverage your strengths by creating end of year mini-goals that will not only challenge you but will keep you engaged and motivated.
However, if you are working diligently to take your career to the next level, remember not to get burnt out. Work/life balance is necessary to maintaining a positive engagement level, so be sure to recognize when you need to recharge and refuel to get that added push you need to crush your goals.
Evaluation
Maybe you’re feeling the pressure to meet end of year targets that you’ve either set for yourself or that have been set for you. Don’t be discouraged by goals you haven’t yet achieved. This is the perfect opportunity to evaluate your successes and opportunities that you’ve been working on throughout the year.
By doing this, you can determine what’s going well, what needs work, and how you realistically plan to achieve those goals in the upcoming year. You want to have a clear picture of your performance so that you can knock out any lingering to-dos and be able to create a solid foundation for the new year.
Planning the Upcoming Year
Waiting until January to plan out your year will put you too far behind. Therefore, conducting an end-of-year evaluation will gives you a head start and outline for your plans to hit the ground running for first quarter. After you’ve honestly assessed your performance, check in with your boss for feedback to ensure that your self-assessment is in alignment with hers.
If you’re leading a team, utilize this time to give feedback, re-establish expectations, and recognize a job well done. This is also a great opportunity to re-assess your team to ensure you that you have the right people in the right place at the time. And don’t forget to keep a pulse on yourself and your team!
Now, you’re ready to set the new year on fire!