2020 is over. That’s a relief! But don’t be quick to dismiss this year. Find helpful key takeaways from 2020 to carry over into 2021.Here are 10 Steps to take to get an accurate (and insightful) end-of-year review. Write Down...
2020 is over.
That’s a relief! But don’t be quick to dismiss this year. Find helpful key takeaways from 2020 to carry over into 2021.
Here are 10 Steps to take to get an accurate (and insightful) end-of-year review.
1. Write Down Wins
A win is any accomplishment. They can be goals, benchmarks, new hires, individual performances or anything that contributed to an aspect of your business’s success.
And believe it or not even in 2020 you had a lot of them!
Wins don’t have to be huge. Updating your website, maintaining your current clients, or creating one email marketing campaign still count. Think of "wins'' as the small steps you take to move your business forward. As you take stock of all the little successes of the year, start to look for patterns and recognize where your priorities were.
2. Categorize Wins
Look over your list of wins. Categorize them by type: Marketing, Sales, Productivity, Leadership. Personal etc. Once you have categorized each win begin to sort them. Hint: a great way to save time and sort your wins is to use Excel.
You should notice a pattern. There will be areas that you excelled and ones that need extra attention. That’s OK, it’s a good thing! Visualizing where your attention went will help you determine what types of goals you should set in the new year.
Specify your New Target Areas of FocusTake the least addressed category of the previous section and use it to inform your goals for 2021.
Don't fall into the trap of vague improvements. Be as specific as possible. Break down the category you want to improve. For example, improving your "sales" is too broad. If you want to increase sales, write down 5-10 things to do over 2 weeks that will lead to X amount of sales. From there, explore what other improvements you can make to strengthen your sales. You'll be surprised at how much improving this one area will ripple into other aspects of your business.
AccountabilityIt is easy enough to get off track when it comes to your goals. But if you have systems in place to regain focus and momentum you will increase your chances of actually finishing your goals.
What did those systems look like in 2020? If you didn’t have a specific accountability system in 2020, that’s OK!
Try this exercise: when you were feeling unmotivated or struggling to maintain your goal work what made you feel better? Was it venting to a colleague or friend? Or maybe you remembered why you started your business in the first place and kept going. Your reason will inform how you should build your 2021 accountability system.
Utilize these Accountability Strategies
If you vented to a person ? try getting a menor, peer group, or sign-up for a workshop If you let your mission statement motivate you ? use visualization techniques (journaling/vision boards) that illustrate your ideal business so you can revisit it in difficult times.
Maintain your network like any relationship. If you don’t regularly reach out to network contacts you will lose them.
Start by writing down a list of the most influential and helpful people in your network. Write down specific things they helped you accomplish/work through.
Next, send them an email. Thank them for that specific guidance and/or assistance. After that, make plans to connect. Suggest a Zoom, phone call, or get creative! Suggest attending an online workshop and a post session catch-up. It will help keep you fresh on their mind and give you another opportunity to build that connection.
6. Gratitudes
Reflecting on what you are thankful for is beneficial. In a year as chaotic and challenging as 2020, it may feel impossible to pick moments that you felt thankful. Push yourself to think of at least 5 (I’m betting there will be more!)
Gratitude teaches us how to be resilient and adaptable leaders. No matter what challenges you encounter, you have tools at your disposal to make things happen.
What were your goals for 2020? Did you accomplish them? I don’t expect you to have accomplished all (or any) of them.
Instead, I want you to differentiate what’s worth continuing to invest in, and what you should move on from. Not every goal is meant to be finished. If you didn’t accomplish it last year, chances are you won’t this year. And that's due to poor goal structure, not your ability.
What does a good goal structure look like?
Look at the goals you didn't accomplish. Break them down into smaller, manageable chunks. Those chunks combined are your larger or "overall" annual goals. Hint: These overall goals should take a year to complete and micro-goals should have varying completion times from a day to a week to a month.
Prepare for the future you want with the present you have-don't over promise or commit yourself if you want to finish your goal!
Want to make 2021 your most profitable year ever? We can help. No matter where you're starting from we can help your business. If you're tired of feeling like your wheels are spinning, but you're not making progress, reach out!
8. Team Review
Review your team, but not in the traditional sense.
An effective review should feel more like a conversation vs. an assessment. Discuss what they worked on this year. Breakdown their wins and investigate why did those wins happen-was it due to an increased interest in that task or did it suit their talents? Discovering why they succeeded can help you lead them better and assign more challenging tasks that will compliment their ability.
After you assess their positive performance work together to come up with focus areas. Brainstorm specific benchmarks together. Collaborating on this will give them an active role in their improvement.
Finally, ask them about their goals and growth. Where do they see their role in a year? They are experts on their own experience. Make an action plan that aligns with their ambition.
Review Your ToolkitA good leader reflects on their skills.
What did you excel at in 2020? Here’s a freebie: adaptability! Everyone proved this year they had the flexibility and conviction to make it work despite the difficult circumstances.
Be honest in your reflection and spend equal time on your strengths and weaknesses.
This is a great tool/reference to utilize when setting goals for 2021.
Take Time to Recharge!You deserve to take time to rest! After a year of unprecedented times and challenges, take some time to recharge.
Connect safely with friends and family. Spend time doing things that bring you joy.
Your health and wellness will enhance your performance and impact on your business. Take care of yourself now so you can make your ideal business happen by 2022!
Stop dreading the future. We want to help you actualize your ideal business. Growth, progress, and prosperity are possible (no matter the year!) Let's make 2021 your most profitable year yet.
Book a free 1-hour Breakthrough Consultation with us.