New Year Resolutions - Don't Forget the Business

by Wendy Raikes

• I’m going to exercise more!
• I will spend more time with my family!
• I’ll give up smoking/drinking/other vices!

Does this list of New Year Resolutions sound like yours? The New Year reminds us to think about those things we want to do for ourselves.
However, the “silly season”, falling half way through the business year, is also a useful time to review things we want to do for our business. Setting aside some time, however short, either before Christmas or early in the New Year for your team to make New Year Resolutions and commitments is a valuable exercise. Don’t fall into the trap of just developing a wish list however. Tie your resolutions into your business plan and make them SMART (see left). We suggest you and your team:

• Assess progress against your goals;
• Where progress has been on target, congratulate yourselves and celebrate;
• Where progress has not been on target, understand why;
• Review the goals where necessary;
• Determine new objectives and targets for the New Year.

Smart New Year Resolution Example

Personal: I will walk for 20 minutes twice a week and review my weight loss in March.
Business: We will spend an additional half day a month on business development, and will review our figures in March.

Twyford Consulting Newsletter December 1998