November FAQ — Looking Ahead to the New Year. What Should I Plan For?
One Friday each month, I dedicate the post to looking at some questions I have heard recently from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts for them is a way for me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership, or just a situation you would like some additional insight on, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question.
I am starting to think about what I need to do different next year. Where do I start?
This is great to see leaders beginning to think about the year ahead already. As you know, I am a big plan of planning as well as self-development. The new year presents opportunities for both to work together. As you begin to look forward and think about what lies ahead, there are several steps that will help ensure you get the most out of taking the time to plan and prepare.
If this year has been any indication, time sure feels like it is moving along faster than ever. Maybe it is just because we have so much on our plates and remain busy. That only reinforces the need to prepare ahead and have a vision for the coming months. It is difficult enough to get things done and achieve goals when you don’t have them captured and thought out. So taking the time to do so will only assist in you achieving what you want next year.
Start with self reflection
I would recommend that you set aside a couple of hours, in a quiet space with no interruptions, to think about what you want for yourself. This can include all areas of your life. What do you want to accomplish for your career, your personal life, and maybe some of your hobbies or side projects? Get really clear on what is working well for you now and what you would like to see change. Be honest with yourself. This exercise is just for you, so the more you acknowledge, the better you can address where you want to go.
You may feel stagnant in your current job. Identify why and what you would like to see change. Then you can begin to formulate the steps to change the direction. You may be sensing trouble in your career area and recognize that change is coming and that you need to be ready. There may be concerns about whether your role or job will be different or even eliminated. These are real feelings that should be addressed. Building your plan and approach now will get you ahead of the curve, instead of finding yourself scrambling for options later.
If you are thinking that a change may be necessary, start that process now. You can define clear steps for updating your resume, your LinkedIn profile, reaching out to friends, colleagues, and your extended network to explore possibilities. Build a plan to let people know you are quietly concerned about your position and may be seeking new options. Often, these types of changes take much longer than expected. Being ahead will make a tremendous difference.
Development areas
Identify areas you want to develop yourself. Clearly, the topic of artificial intelligence has been everywhere the past couple of years. Build a plan to learn a little bit each day. There is an ocean of information on the topic of AI, so begin to narrow down what you wish to learn more about and then start with a limited approach. You can always expand from that point as you familiarize yourself with the topic further. And, just because you’ve tried ChatGPT or used a photo image generator doesn’t mean ‘you’re up to speed on AI.’ There is so much more to it than that. It also doesn’t mean you have to turn everything over to AI and bury yourself in learning more. Find the right balance that will work for you and go from there.
Other nagging thoughts
What else has been on your mind lately? Are there other areas of your life that you have a sense that requires change? Explore those thoughts further. It may sound a little silly or ‘woo woo’, but writing down how you feel about those ideas can help flush out what you really want to do. Maybe it is less about changing your job, taking on a full career change or starting that business you’ve always wanted. Once you fully identify what you are looking for, start thinking about the steps to get there. Ask yourself, “what would need to be true in order for that to happen?” If that means putting some additional money in savings to provide a better cushion to get a business started, then you can build the specific steps to achieve that, and by when.
Your reflection and new year planning will be as useful and productive as you allow it to be. This is fully in your control. This is about you. Once you complete this process, then you can begin to discuss with those around you that can help make it happen.
Time doesn’t stop. If you don’t begin to take action today and have a plan for how you will get there, you may find that another year passes by without achieving some of the important things you would like in your life.
Good luck to you in your planning and setting up success for the new year ahead.
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