Myths & Opportunities
Our Founder and CEO, Gretchen Reid, on a New Year's hut trip just outside of Breckenridge, CO
Reconciling the pressure, potential, and false hopes of the new year to make space for real change and growth
Most of us are familiar with that well-worn phrase, “New year, New you”; it’s meant to give us a sense of hope and renewal, and to remind us that, regardless of what the previous year threw our way, we can turn over a new leaf and Start. Again.
And that’s true. We can start again.
But here’s the thing: a new year doesn’t necessarily mean a new you (gasp now or forever hold your breath).
It doesn’t mean that there’s a new version of you without the challenges, disappointments, or unwanted habits from the previous year. It doesn’t mean that the things that felt difficult then won’t continue to feel difficult now. And it doesn’t mean that you now magically know how to reach goals that you didn’t have a clear path towards the year before.
So while the phrase means well, it can also lend a lot of pressure. Pressure to suddenly do and be “better” than you were the year before. That type of automatic change is often not only unrealistic, but it can be damaging and disappointing when it doesn’t work out. And when you’re coming from a place of wanting to run from your challenges from the year before as opposed to addressing them head-on, those changes often don’t work out.
And yet...
The feeling of renewal that the new year brings is real: a blank slate, a clean canvas, hope. And though you don’t need the turn of a new year to feel that — as opportunity to shift and recreate yourself at any moment is always yours to own, big and small — the new year can be a great time to capitalize on that feeling of new possibilities to set yourself up for success, and to prove to yourself that you can make those changes, learn new lessons, and achieve new goals.
So how do you reconcile both the pressure and potential that come with a new year so that you can make space for real change and growth, particularly when it comes to your work?
Read on for three tips that will prove invaluable in creating a GREAT 2023!
The Power of Reflection
Reflection is such a powerful tool, allowing you to look back on your actions and behavioral patterns, and analyze how they contributed to outcomes. When you’re able to do this without judgment — without allowing guilt or regret to overshadow the insight to be gained from looking back — you can use reflection as a tool to guide you to greater heights.
The new year is a great time to reflect on and glean lessons from the events of the past year. Some questions that might be helpful to start with are:
What were my goals at the beginning of the year?
How did I set myself or my team up to reach those goals?
What tools or mindset supported my success in reaching those goals (think: software, communication, mission, perspective, methods of encouragement)?
What worked well and not so well?
What unforeseen challenges came up, and what did I learn from them?
What did I learn about my own work patterns and behavioral tendencies?
What did I learn about my strengths and areas in need of growth or more consistency?
Lastly, what am I proud of, big or small?
Reflection is a vital process, because without intentionally making space to consider your past, it can be easy to continue with old patterns and ways of thinking that no longer serve you, rather than consciously shifting to new, more powerful ways. So look back. Reflect. Because regardless of what the year has thrown at you — large or small, encouraging or challenging — there is something to be learned from it.
AND…once you have done this reflection exercise for yourself, bring it to your team and do it together for team building (edit the questions accordingly). What a great way to reflect on the past year together, celebrate wins, recognize challenges, and make shifts for the future.
Take our FREE Team Assessment that will prove to reveal your team strengths for you to leverage into 2023 and opportunities to focus on in the year ahead.
Vital Feedback
People want to talk!! They want to tell you what's working and what's not!!
No matter how many years of experience in a certain field you may have, it is impossible for one person to have the insight and awareness of multiple; in other words, the input of your team is invaluable.
Ask your team for feedback.
Having people to lean on is one of the best parts about working on a team. Creating space for your team to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas gives you access to perspectives and insight that may not have come from your own lived experience — meaning you could be leaving valuable improvements and solutions on the table if you don’t ask.
Starting the new year off by challenging your team to reflect on their progress, processes, and environment before sharing their feedback with you is a great way to help set yourself up for future success.
Pick, choose, and edit some of the following questions to start the dialogue:
What about your work contributions last year are you most proud of?
In hindsight, what part of your work (a project, task, event, collaboration, etc.) would you approach differently now, and how? Why?
In what area did you grow in or improve upon the most last year?
In what area do you hope to grow in or improve upon most this year?
If you could choose one thing (perhaps a tool, knowledge, or other resource) that would support you most in your duties, what would it be?
In what way do you feel your ideas and input were heard by the team?
Do you feel you had the tools and resources needed to perform at your best?
How did you support your teammates last year?
How would you like to better support your teammates this year?
What part of the day do you tend to have the most energy and focus? How can we better accommodate this?
If anything, what would you change about your physical working environment to better support your overall working experience and/or productivity? How would this change enhance your productivity?
What processes and procedures support you best? Which need some tweaking and why?
How might I best support you this year?
AND…remember feedback is only as good as the receiver! That would be YOU and how you react and respond when provided feedback. To build the culture of feedback it must start with you. Here is one of our favorite articles to elevate your awareness of your own triggers and how to overcome them when receiving feedback…by the way, we all have them.
Once you’ve had a chance to synthesize the feedback using the Feedback Synthesis Worksheet, be sure to circle back with the team and thank them for their input, share the themes you’ve heard, ask additional questions for deeper understanding, and share your path forward.
Creating a Path Forward
Having a So what do you do once you’ve gained insight from both your own and your team’s reflections? You use them to identify manageable actions you can take to create a path forward.
Revisit and revise your goals — what do you hope to see from both yourself as a leader and from your team this year. Tweak your tools and processes based on the insight you received. Make necessary changes where you can to support your team’s overall health and productivity.
Prioritize the top three things you want to do differently this year as a leader, and put processes in place to support those changes. Take this opportunity to lead by example for your team by using what you’ve learned to make changes that support the health and success of everyone.
OUR GIFT TO YOU
Download the Leader Development Plan to keep your development front and center throughout 2023!
Integrated Growth has been developing leaders, mobilizing teams, and transforming organizations since 1998. Founded by Gretchen Reid, their team of highly skilled consultants and executive coaches are known for building award winning leadership development programs, facilitating strategic planning and team development initiatives, and providing executive coaching to help you achieve your greatest mission. We invite you to schedule a free consultation or visit www.integratedgrowth.com for more information.
AUTHOR – Gretchen Reid is the Founder and Chief Change and Leadership Architect for Integrated Growth. She has spent over 25 years coaching leaders and creating award-winning Leadership and Talent Development Programs, directly contributing to multiple awards for her clients, including Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, Forbes America’s Best Employers List, Forbes Best Employer for Diversity, and ASTD BEST. She is an Adjunct Professor of Change Management in the Strategic HR Masters Program, Denver University, University College. (MS, Career and Human Resource Development, Rochester Institute of Technology, BA, Psychology & Business Management, University of Rochester)