As the year comes to a close, everyone is focusing on the New Year, setting resolutions or intentions. Many I've talked to are ready to see that calendar flip away from 2025.
Amid the pressure to look forward, it's important to set aside a few minutes to look back at 2025. As leaders, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of the bigger picture. If we don't pause for a moment to look back, we miss out on an opportunity to congratulate ourselves for our accomplishments. If we don't do it for ourselves, nobody else is going to do it for us.
To help get you started, I'll share what I came up with:
- Are you kidding me!? - In my industry, there is usually a predictable cycle throughout the year - not in 2025! Everything was turned on its ear. Despite the unpredictability, the year ended on a high note, and I'll need to hit the ground running in 2026 to keep up.
- Gaining Momentum - A few years ago, I inherited an effort that involves a mindset shift across the organization. Let me tell you, getting hundreds of stakeholders on the same sheet of music is a major test of my ability to influence without authority. The effort is far from over, but this year it gained important momentum in a way I couldn't have predicted back in January.
- Significant Growth Part 1 of 3 - My department grew over 60% this year. Wowza!
- Significant Growth Part 2 of 3 - Many of my team members took on stretch roles and totally crushed it! It's so rewarding to watch people's confidence soar as they take on stretch assignments, only to realize what I knew all along - they can totally do it.
- Significant Growth Part 3 of 3 - There's nothing like leadership to give your self-growth regime a power boost. This year I was challenged in ways I'd never been before, giving me the opportunity to gain new skills, sharpen old tools and build my own confidence in unexpected areas.
These accomplishments deserve a huge pat on the back. Well done me!
In addition to celebrating, these reflections give me valuable insights to set me up for a winning year in 2026. The momentum I built last year is only a success if we can keep it going. As the team grows, it's time to re-evaluate how the team operates on a day-to-day basis to keep things running well. Should unpredictable twists and turns come my way, I know how to handle them. The more people see their peers succeeding in stretch roles, the more willing they'll be to try one out.
What challenges did you overcome this year? How did you grow? How did the members of your team grow? How can you use this information to set 2026 up for success?
I'd love to hear from you. Please comment below or send me a note via the Connect section of the home page.
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