It’s a new year, time to change things up

A new year brings new opportunities and, for many people, a fresh sense of purpose as they decide what they want the year ahead to look like. It’s easy to be sceptical about New Year’s resolutions – after all, it takes the average American just 32 days to give up on their grand plans – but a new year can bring the perfect opportunity to make some changes in your own leadership and for your team. 

Why make changes at the beginning of the year? 

With the turn of the calendar, it’s exciting to be swept up in the hope of what a new year can bring. You’ve likely had some time off to rest and reset, which means you’re in the best frame of mind to make some changes that improve on the way things were last year and it’s natural to want to take advantage of this momentum. 

Not only are you in the best position to make changes for yourself and your team, but your team will be more receptive to change now, rather than in the middle of the year, when they might worry and wonder about what has prompted the change. The start of a new year can be seen as an opportunity to carry on the success or leave things in the past.

What do you want to change for your team in 2023? 

Are you happy with how your team operates? Drill down into the day-to-day operations and see what could be done better. It might not always be a big change that’s needed. 

Take your team meetings as an example. Are you happy with your meeting structure? Do you want to shake up the time of the week when you have your meetings? Is it time to reshape the agenda or purpose of the meeting? What about the location? Do you want to start inviting virtual team members to your meetings? 

They might seem like small changes, but they can have big impacts. Consider how you work as a team and what might need to change to see productivity and efficiency thrive throughout the next 12 months. 

How do you want your leadership to evolve over 2023? 

What are the things you want to do differently? The pandemic saw lots of changes for leaders and now, as we all hope this year will be different, it’s the perfect time to re-assess and set up habits that will see you through the next couple of years. 

Do you want to be more productive? Stop leaving things to the last minute? Have more 1:1 meetings with your team? 

Use the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely) goal setting process to work out how you will make these changes, and use the start of the year to make it happen. 

A fresh year is the perfect chance to get your groove back if you feel you’ve lost it over the last couple of years, making changes that allow you to do all the things you need to do in your role, but also spend time with your team and have good, visible leadership across the organisation. 

It’s important to remember to not make change for the sake of change – continue doing things that are working well for you, your team and the organisation as a whole. But, if you were ever going to do things differently, the beginning of a new year is a natural time to do it. 

Want to move your team toward success this year? People Make the Difference can help. To find out more, visit www.pmtd.com.au or call us on 0412 333 415. Try our online leadership training videos – $99 for complete access. Great value if you’re committed to growing your leadership potential.