Kick Start 2022 with these Leadership Tips.
December is a busy month with the holidays, deadlines, office parties, and more. The fact that the days are short and the nights are long makes us feel drained of energy too.
What if, instead of viewing the month as the end of the year, leaders alter their view and start looking at December as the start of the new year!
Effective leaders set the groundwork and begin working hard to lay the foundation for the year ahead before the clock strikes midnight. The last month of the year is viewed as an opportunity to get amped up.
In this blog post we offer tips leaders should start accomplishing in the month of December to kick start 2022. Learn how to make sure these strides forward are permanent changes to your organization.
Communicate your vision
Use the month of December to inspire your team. The communication could be done in a team meeting or through a thoughtful, well-written email. Leaders should lead by example! When you share your excitement and dreams for the year ahead, it gets the creative juices flowing in your team. Together you can come up with a great plan! Your team will begin to plan for projects and challenges that lie ahead. Remember to thank them for all the hard work they put in this year! Everyone will start their holidays on the right foot and be well rested when they come back from their break.
To Kick Start 2022 start assigning tasks and goals now
A new and big goal can feel like a daunting task at first. To avoid unnecessary stress, introduce goals long before they go into effect. Giving your team extra time to prepare allows them to wrap their head around the new goal and start brainstorming ways to achieve it. Climbing the mountain one step at a time, without a time crunch, helps the team think with a clear head! You’ll have a great proposal before you know it.
One-on-one meetings with your team members
The end of the year is an opportunity to check in on your team members with a one-on-one meeting. During this meeting you can figure out their goals for the new-year and provide guidance for how they can achieve them. Ask if there are any special projects they want to be a part of or if there is anything new they’d like to try. The meeting should be uplifting and inspire your employee! Make the time to chat with them before going on holiday.
Start building a pipeline
Leaders and team members want to have an exciting and productive first month of the year. When February rolls around, it will feel great to know you and your team have established early momentum. How do you drive results throughout the year? Establish more of that in December. Throughout the month, challenge your team to hit the ground running and build a pipeline of work that can be accomplished in January. A little hard work in December can go a long way in January and throughout the rest of the year.
Think about the past year and get organized to Kick Start 2022
Go into the new year with a fresh mind and organized desk area. Take the time to clean up your desk space, delete junk emails, organize your files, and plan for the new year. It might seem mundane or unhelpful but going back to work after a break with a fresh mind and work space will get you ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way. You’ll appreciate the reward that will come from doing this work.
Now that you have some strategies to put to the test this December, how do you ensure these practices stay? Unless you stop to reflect and make a plan, they will disappear by January.
The pandemic was hard and many organizations had to regroup and change their tactics and how they approach certain situations. As offices open up again, it’s a chance to implement new ideas and strategies.
In business, things move fast but in order to keep up, you have to slow down! Leaders should consider the following points if they want to leverage teamwork and creativity.
Take a moment to personally reflect
A good leader knows when to reflect on what they have learned about themselves, their leadership style and what they are contributing to the team. It also shows them specific areas they need to work on. Being an empathetic leader is a quality your entire team will welcome with open arms. How you communicate and how often you communicate with your team will have a significant impact on their performance.
Pay attention to the positives and feed into those versus negative actions. Viewing things through a lens of optimism feeds your energy.
Kick Start 2022 by really working with your team
Healthy teamwork and organizations find it much easier to rally together around common goals. Meet with your team more frequently whether it be virtually or in person. During these meetings you never know who will shine! Some team members might come out of their shell, step up and surprise you, or ask to take on new projects. Team members appreciate the feeling of connection. There is value in a sense of unity and leaders should incorporate this practice year-round.
Take a close look at your organization
Look inwards and make an effort to learn about your business model. How do you leverage your team to better serve clients? Are there items you can outsource to free up internal time? Maybe a smoother onboarding process? These questions can be answered during your reflection time. Put together a plan in December so you’re ready to deploy it in January.
Instead of being overwhelmed by the end of the year, shift your perspective and think of it as a gift that you get to lead a team during this time. Be confident in your leadership skills and existing qualities. Make the next year one to remember.
How are you preparing for the new year? Which suggestion will you try first? Leave us a comment.
At NexLevel, we’re experts in building healthy organizations through cohesive teams and engaged employees. We will help you and your employees become the high-performance team you’ve always wanted to be by focusing on collaboration, creativity, culture, and connection.
Additional reading from the The TableGroup “Making your Gains Permanent”
