New Year’s Resolution – Employee Edition

As we start a new year, most people begin by creating New Year’s Resolutions. However, many individuals focus on health, family, or financial goals. These are all great and necessary, but what about your professional goals? January is the perfect time to redefine your professional objectives because organizations are gearing up for goal-setting conversations with their employees. In addition, by focusing on professional goals now, you will have a more efficient performance review with your leader at the end of the year. To assist with your professional planning, I suggest using the Start-Stop-Continue method. Facilitators implement this method to get actionable feedback from participants. It also works for individuals who want to get personal improvement action items. Think about everything you want to start, stop, and continue on your career journey, write them down, and refer to them throughout the year.

Start

Review your actions this past year and examine the missed opportunities that could have advanced your career. Put those items on your list of things to start doing. Did you stay silent in meetings when you had a great idea to share? If so, I encourage you to practice speaking up more in gatherings or group settings. Begin with people you are comfortable around to build up your confidence and speak about topics you are already familiar with. What about that training class you planned to attend to expand your learning but never did? Look up the dates and times of the classes you want to sign up for and start putting them on your calendar now. Begin making it a priority to participate in at least one educational event every year. Doing so is a great way to network and refresh your skills at the same time. Think of initiatives to start this year that will help you get closer to achieving your career goals.

 Stop

This part of the process may be more challenging than the others. It involves you critically examining your actions this past year to identify what behaviors or activities did not serve your best professional interests. Put those items on your list of things to stop doing. For instance, have you found that you volunteered for too many projects and over-committed yourself this past year? If so, keep in mind that it is okay to say no sometimes when necessary. Remember, to excel, you must devote time to your own professional growth and development. Did you let a personal bias keep you from networking with co-workers who could have helped you expand your career? We all have some form of bias. However, successful people learn how to recognize and overcome them. Do not let preconceived notions interfere with your career mobility. Or perhaps you passed on a stretch assignment because it was out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, development requires doing things that you may not have done before. So, stop being afraid to take risks, and do not let fear drive your decisions.

 Continue

Now we have come to the most fun part. Think back on actions you rocked last year that helped you grow. These are items that you will want to carry over into this year. One example might be noticing that you are more productive when you listen to motivational speeches before you start your day. Research additional speakers you would like to hear so you can have a list to pull from throughout the year. Identifying and implementing details like this can help your overall well-being and productivity. Likewise, maybe you recognized that you deliver better results when collaborating with others. In this case, you want to discover new ways to seek feedback and input from strategically selected individuals. Finding ways to brainstorm with others can help to spark new and innovative thoughts. Or maybe you read a leadership book(s) this past year that provided great insights into your profession? If so, try doubling that number this year and track how each book has helped your career. Yes, audiobooks count!

By implementing this method, you are critically looking at where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there. Feel free to enlist an accountability partner if necessary. You can even share your findings with your leader to show a commitment to continuous improvement. Ensure that your actions are attached to a timeframe for completion, even if you must set several small milestones instead of full completion dates. This way, you will avoid having these items on your list next year. Trust the process, and you will see positive results. Remember, this exercise aims to help and not discourage you, so do not be too hard on yourself. Good Luck and Happy New Year!

Click here to download an action tracker that will help you implement the Start-Stop-Continue approach.