The temptation when you return to work after a break is to let inertia hold you back. I wonder how you are thinking about 2023 right now? It is important as you get back to work to make sure you take action. Taking action means you commit to moving forward and at the very least you will learn. You may learn that a decision you made was not the right one, you may see good outcomes. As you move into 2023 there are some important questions you need to ask in order for 2023 to be your best year yet.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie
Depending on your personality type you may want to have the perfect plan before you implement. I can be like this, but I have learnt I just need to get started. No plan survives its first implementation. You cannot possibly account for all the variables out there. So just get started. Plans must be adapted as you learn more about the circumstances you face, and the more data you have the better informed you are to make those decisions.
As you move into 2023, I am sure you are looking for a better year. Hopefully you have set out your goals for the coming year. You want to see a different outcome, but have you learnt what you need to change? As Albert Einstein puts it:
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Three questions to move you forward:
Before moving forward into 2023 I want to encourage you to reflect on decisions you made during 2022 using the following three question framework:
1. What went wrong? This is often the place you will head to first especially if things are not going as you planned. Try and be objective as you evaluate. Was it the way the decision was made? Was it the circumstances or client reaction that were different than expected?
2. What went right? When things go right or go well, there is an assumption that you don’t need to evaluate it. There are still things to learn. Are you clear on what it was that led to the good outcome that you had? When you understand what gave you the good result then it is something you can repeat.
3. What will you change as a result? Understanding what has gone wrong and what has gone right is only part of the process. The crucial element of this process is what you will change as a result. It is possible, even when the outcome was a good one, to fine tune what you are doing to maximise the outcome.
All of these things need to be written down and evaluated by all those involved in the decision-making process. Whether it has gone well or not, the learning you will gain from this evaluation is invaluable.
Make sure you do not unnecessarily repeat things that lead to the same frustrating outcome. If you want a different outcome, you must take different action.
Here is to 2023 being your best year yet.
