Like you probably have, this week I’ve received many newsletters, seen many posts, memes and videos, all about how to create a ‘new start’ in January 2021.
I’ve been thinking about why in January do we feel that strong need to set New Years’ Resolutions – or indeed justify why we are not setting them?
So often – and not just for a New Years’ Resolution – change feels like a mountain to climb, your personal Mount Everest at times. And yet with all of the best intentions, we plough forward with our new life goals for achieving something, changing a behaviour, a pattern, our lives.
There are 3 core reasons why this fails:
- We take on too much
- We try to change too fast
- We confuse discipline with rigidity
Like anything, we can program a habit of change, adaptability and resilience. This takes time, openness, and support. I’ve seen so many people feel blocked from reaching their goals because the support network in place hinders, rather than promotes the journey.
Support comes in many forms, from tech to people, to places, to routines and rituals. And we are all individual, unique souls, and we each need what works for us, at our core, to make long lasting change imprint positively in our lives and the work we do in the world.
In the words of Plato…
“Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge”
— Plato
So the question is, what needs to happen for you to be in flow? For your business to flow?
The 3 core principles:
DESIRE: Know your goals
EMOTION: Know your people
KNOWLEDGE: Know your business
Without any 1 of the 3, the flow is blocked.
Have a great vision but not the team to execute? The strategy will fail and you’ll not get to the finish line.
Have a well-connected team, but no vision? Your brilliant team will not be able to reach their full potential with no structure for day to day activity, and get lost with activity that doesn’t drive the business forward.
Have a great business, but a disconnected team? Teams will continue to change, whether you are in a growth stage or organic team changes, leavers and new starters. With disconnection in teams and across departments, the machine doesn’t run smoothly, and a successful business can start to decline.
The 3 in Practice
Synchronising goals, people and business structure is essential to building the right support and framework for your business’s success.
When thinking of your goals for 2021, and to avoid the 3 core pitfalls (taking on too much, trying to change too fast and confusing discipline with rigidity), by taking the time and space you need for you to be sure your direction not only is achievable, but has longevity.
Here are 3 things to consider when you plan your business activity 2021:
1. Set 3 Goals: No more, no less
To achieve 1 big goal, is a lot of little goals. We over-estimate what we can do in 1 year, and underestimate what we can do in 10 (in the words of Tony Robins…). Taking on too much means we sacrifice something – and sometimes everything, by spreading our recourses too thin. Concentrate on the top Big 3 goals that will have a direct impact on your business success.
For example, many companies have a revenue goal as one of their core targets. This, while essential for a business to succeed and grow, is only one way to measure success. Consider setting a goal for ‘x Happy, returning customers’ instead – this way, you are targeting the success of your product/service, your brand value and your revenue all in one hit. 75% of employees say their job represents more than a pay-check in a survey by Workfront. Recognising how the people piece of the 3 adds value that continues to build, expand and grow towards your goals.
2. Bite-Size Pieces: Take one bite at a time
While we love to think we can multi-task and get lots of different things done in parallel, we, unfortunately, cannot. I like to think of this as a core processer vs. a dual-core processer; we are core processers as humans, when it comes to conscious, effective focus and work output.
It takes about 20 minutes to achieve a deep level of re-focus when you’ve been distracted. Setting lots of different tasks for different projects for 1 person in one week means not much deep focus work is being done – and this is where innovation and progress really gains momentum.
Understanding this is how we and our teams work means we can get set the right conditions for the best work from the right people at the right times – and bring that all together for a collective achievement. This is changing perspective so your business machine works at optimum capacity, all of the time, and steadily.
Working on a primary focus together not only strengthens teams collaborative connection, but it gets better quality work done.
3. Reward, reward, reward: And enjoy it.
We are so often compelled to achieve our goals, we forget to cherish the moments we do achieve great work and to reward ourselves when we hit those bite-sized gaols. It’s suggested that a main reason we do not see new ‘resolutions’ through is the failure to reward ourselves for the wins we do achieve.
It’s important to take pause and recognise what our wins are. Do this in your stand up’s, your end of week meetings, your Monday morning kick off meetings, in your one-to-one team meetings. Do this for your team and yourself.
The Number 3
For the Tesla and Numerology fans out there…
Nikola Tesla is possibly the most famous for his work ingraining the number 3; he rooted everything in this number – his life’s work and how he chose to live in all things. Everything he did was founded in numbers divisible by 3. He would only stay in hotel rooms divisible by 3. 3, He said, was Key to Universe, the universal blueprint. 3, 6 and 9 were very important in his work and valuable contribution to the world, and work that continues today in areas such as renewable and sustainable energy.
In Numerology, the number 3 typically signifies an upbeat, positive, playful and creative energy. 3 symbolises creative expression and unique thinking and ideas, finding innovative and new solutions to problems that are often missed. A splash of ‘3’ in businesses is most definitely welcomed! It has also been expressed that the 3 is connected to wisdom and harmony, which we love to see together in combination in business, amounting to many of those wins together as a team!
RESOURCES
Business Health Score
Here’s the link to our free quiz to get your business health score and see what’s working efficiently and what’s not – essential for planning a clear, direct route to success.
Take the business health check
Conscious Leadership Toolkit
In our free leadership toolkit, you’ll find:
- Business Planning Template – the conscious way
- Business Rituals – how speaking to your team happens through action
- Leadership Mindset Cleanse – doing what works for you
Credit:
Main Photo by Tony Hand on Unsplash