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Review YOUR 2009!
Review YOUR 2009!
December 14, 2009
Have you actually considered what you did achieve this year? Whether it’s in business or your personal life, what can you honestly say you are proud to have accomplished in 2009?We’re fast approaching the end of the year. Who’s going to admit it? At least one of us has said “I don’t know where it went!” It’s almost as traditional as putting mince pies out for Santa! Have you actually considered what you did achieve this year? Whether it’s in business or your personal life, what can you honestly say you are proud to have accomplished in 2009? The beginning of a year can start with great intentions filled with New Year’s Resolutions and comments such as “this is the year it will happen”. The question is, at what point do we review the last twelve months, allowing ourselves to celebrate successes and use our experience to improve? The answer is NOW! Allow yourself at least half an hour to consider the following points, which will enable you to make your plan of action for 2010 a lot more effective.
- What were your three principal ambitions for this year? Write them down followed by the answers to the following:
- How successful were you on a scale of 1 to 10?
- What would have made the difference between the score you gave and a 10....or an 11?
- How often did you monitor your progress? Would it have been helpful to have done this more often?
- If your priorities changed throughout the year, did you adapt your goals to ensure they were still realistic and achievable?
- Did you use all resources available to you? What or who else could you have used?
- Take five minutes away from these questions to make a cup of tea, check your email or make some calls.
...go on, put the kettle on! Now, imagine the answers you have in front of you are not yours, but those of a colleague who has requested your help. They’ve asked for your opinion on each of the points and are in need of complete honesty to help them improve for the future. What would you say to them?
- Do you think the scores they gave were reasonable?
- If they say that they did not adapt during change, or they didn’t use all available resources – ask them why? Was something holding them back? What obstacles prevented them from achieving each of these goals and how could they have overcome these?
- In what way have you seen them progress and grow this year? What do you see as their main achievements?
Finally, I’d like you to raise your mug (you did make that tea, didn’t you?) and congratulate yourself on everything you achieved during such a testing year – here’s to even more success in 2010...CHEERS!! To find out more about hgcoaching please visit www.hgcoaching.wordpress.com, follow me on Twitter @hgcoaching or contact Holly at hollygordon@btinternet.com 
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Comments
Oh dear. I've just depressed myself. Here's to 2010!
I'd be interested to see what those lists are for other people who have read this thought provoking blog.
As it happens this is one year when I can write a good list and feel comfortable that WE achieved my goals.
My long-standing aim for 2009 was to take my family away on a 14 week sabbatical, as I've been far too preoccupied with BHP during the 18 years since I founded it. We went to Australia and Thailand and had a most fantastic time, while the team at BHP just carried on without me. I received one (scheduled) work email during the 14 weeks, just to confirm that everything was going well. Relaxing with my wife and three kids without a care in the world was, well, like being in another world. It was endless fun and we will always treasure that special time together (cheesy but true). Highly recommeded. To be able to leave BHP for that length of time I mentally did a simple deal with myself: I accepted that I might have to work an extra year at the end of my working life as the price for the long holiday.
My second aim for 2009 was to launch not one but four websites: a new company website for BHP and three Donut websites. We achieved all four ... and two of them happened while I was abroad. How fantastic is that! People rave about the websites and we're still only in the initial stages of making them outstanding for the small businesses that use them.
My third aim was even more optimistic, and this one was granted as well. I wanted to change my role in the company, to spend my time on strategic relatonships and product development, rather than line mangement.
That's enough from me on 2009. Thanks team!
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