This is the holiday season, which means half of you are running around thinking the new year has already arrived, and the other half of you are still trying to finish up everything you set out to do in 2017.
Like it or not, 2018 is almost here and now is the time to get your plans and ideas in place for how you’ll make it a successful one for your business. Not sure where to start or what to resolve to do differently? Here are five ideas to get you thinking:
1. Study leadership
Leadership is an ongoing learning process. With so many different ways to lead, varied personalities entering the workforce, and evolving work habits, the way leaders effectively bring their organization forward changes constantly.
The same will be true as we enter a new year. In 2018, more Millennials and Generation Zers will submit applications for jobs and stake their place in the workforce. This will force leaders to continue to adapt their styles to meet the new demands, expectations, and communication styles of this emerging workforce.
If you’re a leader, this is your year to shake things up, get a little uncomfortable, and learn fresh new ways to bring your organization forward.
2. Practice delegation
It’s the standard battle cry of management: delegate, delegate, delegate. Still, it’s harder to do than it should be, it seems.
It’s normal to want to ensure your work gets done on time and correctly; handing off responsibility to someone else makes that difficult. What if they drop the ball? What if the quality isn’t up to par? What if something goes wrong? You’ll be the one to blame if the work isn’t done to perfection.
But delegation isn’t a choice—it’s mandatory these days. With work piling up on your desk, it’s critical that you step into the new year with a new mindset about asking for help. Train your team to understand and beat expectations so you can delegate more and produce more in the coming year.
RELATED: What Strong Leaders Delegate the Most
3. Make faster decisions
What decisions have you been sitting on this year? What have you put off doing or deciding on because you’re just not sure of the right approach?
Making decisions is hard work. It requires you to choose a path and forge full steam ahead. That’s a scary thing, especially as you start to consider all the potential pros and cons.
But all this deliberation can drive you crazy. More important, it can cause your productivity to plummet. Resolve to make faster and better decisions in 2018 by giving yourself a deadline and sticking to it. Promise yourself that whatever you decide on by the due date will be the path you take. You’ll be amazed at how much farther you go because of it.
4. Achieve work-life balance (finally)
It’s easy to get sucked into the drain of work; it’s equally impossible to ignore all the tasks, concerns, and obligations of your home, friends, and family. But this is your year to break free from this constant tug-of-war and finally achieve work-life balance. It’ll only take a little bit of effort from you.