You may have already written your resolutions, you maybe recycling last years, or perhaps you have decided they are a waste of time and energy.
Mark Zuckerberg recently decided to ask his Facebook followers for ideas for one of his resolutions, if you are looking for inspiration on what to focus on, read my popular blog post Ten Resolutions Exceptional Leaders Make Happen.
Goals, commitments, resolutions, targets, call them whatever you like, I have seen hundreds, possibly thousands of them as I have worked alongside some of the most successful leaders in the world's most innovative companies. As a result, I have found there are three critical reasons that resolutions fail to deliver the intended results and I want to share those with you right now.
Three Reasons Resolutions Fail:
12-Month Focus Is Too Short-Sighted
Though a year may seem a lifetime for some fast-growing businesses, its too short-sighted for your goals. Too many leaders are short-term focused and not thinking five years out and working backwards. If you don't know your five year plan for your life, your business, products, customers and services how do you know what to focus on in 2015 to make it happen?
Repetitive Resolution Syndrome
This mistake happens when every year you make the same plans and goals but don't achieve them. Before you set another repetitive resolution, identify why you didn't achieve it last time. Take time to complete your Lost Discipline List so you can address the real cause rather than the symptoms.
- No-One Is Holding You Accountable
This is the biggest reason resolutions fail. If you don't share your goals with your inner-circle, your executive team, your mentors and close partners you will be less likely to achieve them. Answer these three questions to increase your accountability and improve your probability of success
- Which of my goals do I need to share with which people?
- How will I know that I have been successful?
- How can I ask them to hold me accountable?
Create Your 2020 vision
I spoke to CEOs at the Top Workplaces Awards Evening last month about focussing your energy and time on your 2020 vision, not the immediate next 12 months. Spend the first few days of January revisiting the goals, aspirations and accountability plans for you and your team and create a 2020 vision that will energize and inspire you. Contact me today if you want to explore how I can help accelerate your results.
My New Inc. Column
Inc. magazine recently asked me to start writing a regular column for them, you can read my latest articles here Thoughtfully RuthlessSM Innovation.
2015 Speaking Opportunities
My speaking calendar is getting booked up fast for 2015. Contact me today if you are looking for a speaker for your conference or event. I will provoke, inspire and provide practical ideas your audience can immediately implement on topics including accelerating innovation, scaling your business for growth and developing Thoughtfully RuthlessSM leaders. More details here.
Wishing you all a Remarkable Happy New Year!