As we enter the new year, our planning and focus will be a bit different than in previous years. The pandemic has changed how we operate and we should all ask ourselves ‘How do I need to adapt to succeed in 2021?’
From my discussions with leaders over the last year, these are the 8 key areas I believe are key to focus on, to set yourself up for success in the year ahead.
1. Clarity of Vision and Purpose
Why are you doing what you do/ working with your company/ striving for those particular goals and vision?
- My vision is to inspire AMAZING workplaces (through speaking, coaching and facilitating) – where people love to come to work each day and feeling empowered to achieve great results together.
- My WHY is because I want everyone to feel energised to come to work every day – where they feel valued, supported and inspired to achieve unbelievable success.
2. Taking Inspired Action
Inspired Action is about having the right plan in place that is so robust that you will achieve your goals. It’s about continually developing to be the best version of yourself. Then facing your challenges and being comfortable outside of your comfort zone.
For every minute you spend planning, you will save 10 minutes of scattered worktime. Think of how much more you could get done with the right plan in place!
- Are your goals SMART?
- Do you have milestones for key periods throughout the year?
- How inspired are you to achieve this? How will you feel when you achieve your goals? Put yourself in the picture!
3. Focus
In the electronic age, we are often distracted by emails, messages, the internet, and copious meetings. While some of these are essential, if you let these rule your day, you’re essentially prioritising everyone else over yourself.
Set up some healthy habits to set you up for success:
- block time in your calendar for your key priorities (and keep that as a meeting with yourself!)
- get one key thing done before opening your emails
If your calendar is filling up, block space between meetings to reflect and action plan
4. Ability to Influence
Key influencers build an authentic personal brand that clearly articulates:
- Your vision and purpose
- Who you help
- How you add value
- Why you are different
5. Understanding and Genuinely Supporting Others
- Assertive or agreeable?
- Extraverted or introspective?
- Stable or driving?
- Precise or flexible?
By understanding your team member’s key drivers, you can allocate tasks more effectively, enhance communication, meetings, tap into their innate motivators and achieve more than you ever have before.
With ongoing remote or hybrid work, connections which we once took for granted are now easily lost if we don’t put conscious effort into them.
Take time to look after your peers, your direct reports and even your manager. Don’t assume that everything is ok, particularly when it seems like ‘Mary is just getting on with life and working really hard’… silence is often a mask for hidden angst and when someone may need some support more than ever.
6. Equity & Inclusion
Businesses and professionals need to be proactive and authentic in this change. It’s not only the right thing to do, but is also smart business – diversity brings new ideas, innovations and can be your competitive advantage.
What can you do to be proactively promote and achieve equity?
7. Leading Change
Neuroplasticity is the most significant neuroscience finding in recent decades, and shows how anyone can change their beliefs, habits and achieve positive change. Understanding these simple but significant concepts will enable you to succeed at new levels.
8. Agility
Are you ready for anything that gets thrown at you? Particularly in this rebuilding phase and ongoing uncertainty, you need to shift and change to suit customer needs quickly.
Are you able to identify signs of what’s coming and adapt your plans, so you can keep on the front foot?
Are you building capability and mindset within your team, to enable them to adapt as and when required?
If you’re not 100% clear on any of these areas, take the time to build this capability in yourself and your team. Don’t let complacency or ‘the way we’ve always done things’ (habit) leave you exposed.
Don’t go it alone – I’m here to help! Click on the link below to book in a call, and make your 2021 incredible!
