Every year at this time, people are making resolutions to change their ways for the coming year.
Anytime is a good time to make changes and improvements in our life and in our businesses.
However, especially this year, the New Year does provide an excellent opportunity to slow
down, reflect back over the past year, and then make some resolutions for the coming year.
Here are a few that you may want to consider as a business owner or CEO.


Stay on the Diet

Now that there is some light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully the economy will be coming
back in the coming year, one resolution to consider is to heed what lessons we learned this year
and resolve to stay on the “diet” that the economy forced us to be on. If we can just preserve
what we accomplished in improved efficiencies and cost controls, the new growth we realize in
the coming years will be that much more profitable.


Hone your Focus

The most successful companies understand their competencies and maintain a very strong and
selective focus. By doing that, they are able to direct the majority of their resources, both money
and people, towards what they are best at and what can produce the greatest return for the
company. If you have not done this during this last year, make a resolution for the coming year
to gain a true understanding of your company’s competencies. Then resolve to focus the
resources of your company toward utilizing those competencies in new and exciting ways.


Don’t Lose the Passion

It has been said that one of the most important components of success for an entrepreneur or
business leader (or for anyone in their pursuit of success) is their passion for what they are
doing. This last year has definitely tested our passion. But whatever your passion, resolve to
keep that passion alive and strong in the coming year. Then, resolve to continue to spread that
passion throughout the organization through your actions.


Build Your Team

Think of what has transpired during this last different and difficult year. Think of your successes
and your tribulations. Then think about how the strength of your team helped you achieve those
successes and helped you overcome the difficulties. Make a resolution for this and every year to
never lose your appreciation for your team and their role in yours and the company’s success.
Then resolve to continuously invest in that team in order to continue to develop them and
strengthen them. A strong and well cared for team can help take you and your organization to
even greater heights in the years to come.


Recommit To Your Vision

The end of one year and the start of the next presents an excellent opportunity to reexamine
your vision for you and for your company. For many of us that is probably more true this year
than at almost any other time. After this last year, you may not be where you thought you would
be today? You may have to adjust your vision but don’t abandon it. Where do you want to be
next year at this time? Where do you want to be five years from now? Take time to truly think
about these questions. Achieving a vision requires true commitment to that vision and true
commitment requires that it be clear and real. Resolve to rethink, redefine, and recommit to your
vision for the future. Then strengthen your vision and the benefit it can provide to the
organization by resolving to share that vision with your team.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year.