With 2022 well under way, many will have already made New Year’s Resolutions as tradition dictates, about quitting smoking, going to the gym regularly or trying to eat more healthily for instance. And like most years, a lot of us will have given up on those resolutions come Valentine’s Day.
I am reminded of a funny quote by famous Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde
“Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account.”
The issue is that not following through with these resolutions has little or no penalties or costs to ourselves – at least in the short term – unless we attach some consequences ourselves.
One of the reasons we tend not to stick to these resolutions is that we make them because it is a tradition, but we are not necessarily keen on giving up on our elevenses, or are dreading going to the gym; we make them because others do, it is in fact peer pressure. So, we are not really motivated to do so. Resolutions need to be something that we really want to achieve, or which will make a difference to our life, our wellbeing.
We start having a cheat day and have that chocolate bar we missed so much – just one bar can’t really hurt, can it? Or we skip one day at the gym – I’ll train an extra hour next week to make up for it – and after a couple of weeks, we are back to our daily late morning sugary snack, or have stopped going to the gym altogether. Better luck next year.
Another reason we don’t always keep our resolutions, is that we probably didn’t think them through very well and more importantly we don’t have a clear plan on how we are going to achieve them, nor may have enough discipline and dedication to follow them out.
You could put them through something like SMART, but I find it has probably passed its sale by date; not always applicable in full
and often not very clear. I have seen different versions, such as Chris Croft’s SPVEM (Scary – Positive – Visual – Exciting – Measurable) or a new one by Tina Worthing, COVER (Challenging – Outcome – Visual – Evidenced – Responsive / Review) both much more interesting, applicable and useful. Do look them up.
In my view, what really matters is that you are making these resolutions, these life goals, because you believe they will have a positive impact on your lives in some ways, whether they are simple short-term goals or live changing ones for a better life, a better future for you. Once you have found your goals, you need to think about them thoroughly and put a plan in action.
The first thing you need to do is to put them in writing; but not simply in your diary or a piece of paper, which will get lost easily.
Write your goals onto one sheet of paper and put it up somewhere you will see it every morning so that you can read it almost religiously without fail – in the bathroom by the mirror, when you brush your teeth, on the fridge door when you take the milk out for your cereals, in the corridor where you pick your car keys before leaving the house. The important thing is to write them out and read them out at the beginning of each day or before going to bed – or both if you are really dedicated, and your goals will be more likely to be realised.
You also need to make sure that they are not outlandish, pie in the sky unachievable goals. And you need to be specific about what these goals are and how accomplishing them will make a change in your life. Setting deadlines and taking concrete actions are essential too, having a plan B in place in case things go off track is a good sensible idea too.
Life goals are important on a personal level, but what about your professional goals? I am not referring to the financial goals and targets your manager has imposed on you, but your personal goals for you and your teams. What are you going to do differently this year, that will make a difference to your teams, their performances but more importantly to their wellbeing?
As a team leader, there are many resolutions you could make this year to support your teams and improve the overall customer experience as a result, and it is often difficult to know what to pick. Valentines Learning have come up with three simple but essential goals; why don’t you try New Year’s Resolutions?
N – Needed Make your teams feel that they are needed, that they know they are making positive contributions to their customers, to the team and the organisation. In return, you will see more engagement on their part and happiness.
Y – Yearning Your teams are yearning to have more autonomy in their work, more decision-making opportunities to give them a sense of responsibility; delegate a little more this year, and watch your teams grow and flourish.
R – Recognised Recognising and praising your teams will help keep them engaged and motivated. Don’t just tell them when they do something wrong, make a point of telling them when they are doing good work too. They will also be more likely to stay with you and your company.
So, this year, whether you are making New Year’s Resolutions you might not keep more than a few weeks, or set up life changing goals, ensure you do all that is needed to see some of them actually realised, but most importantly, make simple yet impactful professional resolutions about your teams to make sure they will still be working with you come 2023.
If you would like to know more about what courses Valentines Learning are offering or have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us.
Our best wishes for the New Year.
