How to Make a Resolution You Can Keep
Consider this Challenge from Fabric…
Gym regulars know what to expect these first couple weeks of the New Year: crowded classes, your favorite machine taken or barely any room for your yoga mat. A month later, it’s back to normal.
It’s not just the gym. About 80 percent of resolutions fail by the second week of February, according to U.S. News & World Report.
And while many resolutions aren’t that big a deal to let slip, if you’re a business owner or leader, your resolution to “be better” is actually really important.
So, how can you follow through on your company culture or leadership resolutions in the new year? Be consistent — All. Year. Long.
You’re not going to lose 10 pounds by hitting the gym hard for two weeks in January. Similarly, if you start off the year with the energy to be the world’s best boss but by February you’re back to being “too busy” to engage with your team, can you expect change?
And while adding a ping pong table or having your first company retreat may give employees a much-needed boost, those things alone are not going to be enough for a true culture shift.
Maintaining weight loss requires a change in habits, sustainable actions and perhaps a new routine. Think of company culture and leadership development in the same way.
An actual example of a successful New Year’s resolution.
As 2017 came to a close, I watched my husband ACHIEVE his New Year’s resolution of running an average of one mile a day each month. How he did this was smart: He was consistent, he tracked his progress and he allowed for flexibility.
Ultimately, the goal was 28–31 miles a month rather than exactly one mile per day. So each week, he would write on our calendar the number of miles he ran that week. This process let him track his progress without feeling overwhelmed.
He didn’t run every day, but he never went more than a few days without putting in the work. It took consistency to reach his goal.
My challenge to you.
Rather than simply declaring you will be a better leader or improve your company culture in new year, my challenge is to do one culture-building or leadership development activity per workday.
By the end of the year you’ll have done 250 things to better yourself and your team. And that consistency will lead to a shift in mindset. The behavior of making culture and leadership a part of your routine will change the kind of boss you are.
No matter what your resolutions are this year, I wish you the best in making them happen.
And for an extra bit of encouragement, I’ll leave you with this nugget from Statistic Brain:
Happy New Year!
Rosalynn
Note: another factor my husband attributes to his New Year’s resolution success is he had accountability. Don’t underestimate this as you embark on your leadership or culture development resolutions. Email me at roz@befabric.com to gain some accountability.
Need ideas for your culture-building and leadership development activities? Sign up for the Fabric newsletter and follow our blog for additional support.
