Audit Your Year & Finish Strong

We are all about to hit the crazy part of the year where months disappear and our internal dialogue shifts to “I’ll get onto that next year,” as we fall across the line to Christmas. However, there is a better way to finish your year.

For my clients and those in my Business Club I have them audit the year and then decide on how to finish it.

The first question I ask to audit the year is:
“Where did you succeed this year that is worthy of acknowledgement or celebration?”

I ask this because sometimes our greatest achievements were not ticking off planned goals, but instead it was how we rose to unexpected challenges or delivered on unexpected projects. Likewise, sometimes we succeeded because we coped, changed or stepped up.

One client had a 50% staff turnover that started as a crisis but has been handled in a way that made the business stronger. Another shifted house and office at the same time as they launched a new product, and they survived. While others bought out business partners, landed big accounts, finished webpages or rebranded. These sorts of things are often not on the years goals list but navigating such things are wins.

It is important to celebrate these successes and share the conversation with your team or loved ones so that together you can bask in the glow of victory for a while. It’s important to notice the roses.

The second question is:
“What would those close to you say still needs to be done this year?”

Our family and closest colleagues know us better than anyone. We can create an image of success to others but these people know how we are actually tracking. When you answer this question, you don’t need to call your peers and ask them for opinions, instead just ponder what they probably would say. I find that just posing the question brings key insights to the fore.

One client said “My guys would say I still haven’t pulled the trigger on the new CRM we keep talking about.” Another said “My wife would say I am still working weekends and that the changes I have made have not achieved the lifestyle we wanted.” Another said “My high performers would say I still have not clarified the ownership option that I have flagged is a possibility.”

When you do not act on these things, those around you begin to lose faith. They love you and trust you and follow you, but they need to see that what you say and do are aligned, otherwise the stop believing in you.

It is ok to change your direction or mind when you see what the audit brings up, yet there is also a powerful opportunity to have a massive impact. Acting on these things in a powerful way brings an incredible feeling of personal fulfillment and confidence. And people believe again. It inspires them.

Once the audit it done, either through discussion or dot points on a scrap of paper, next it is about finishing the year strong!

Some people switch to holiday mode early. Some work like crazy to clear their to-do list so nothing hangs over them on the break. Some start planning next year while others write this year off and figure it will be better next year. These are all fools gold as they cope with the present by losing sight of the grander vision.

Instead, I suggest using this part of the year to set next year up properly. I don’t mean just having a clear slate by the end of the year, I mean pondering what we want next year to look like and asking what new or improved resources, systems, assets or teams need to be in place next year to liberate our progress to the goal.

Life gets manic going into Christmas and as a result we will scurry like crazy to tick off work responsibilities at pace, that is a given. Succeeding at that does very little to impact our bigger vision though.

Yet there is always one thing that, although could easily and rationally get pushed aside, if you did nail it this year, would liberate next year. That is the one thing we need to make sure happens! Maybe it came up in the audit, maybe not, but it exists and doing that is what finishes your year strong.

Perhaps there is a new hire? A resignation? A proposal? A book to finish? Brochure? Email? Partnership? Clean out? Resource? Tool? Connection?

“What, if done before Christmas, is a game changer for next year?”

That is the conversation I am having with my clients. And once we recognise the one thing, we schedule it and resource it.

So much can happen between now and Christmas, but you will need to be a leader not a follower to navigate the confusion of the silly season.

Each year we run a massive day that is open to the public, called Live More. This year it is on 25 November in Melbourne. If you got to the end of the blog you will definitely LOVE this day. Details and registration at: www.dobbo.com.au/event17