I know… it’s mid-January, and I’m still caught up in the idea that the new year brings the opportunity for new behaviors and new habits.
And we all know just how difficult it is to develop new habits!
Yet, my reality has been that day-to-day demands, interruptions, and opportunities have led me to keep getting caught up in things that feel URGENT (at the time). And in doing so, I have tended to take focus away from my core objectives.
I did an experiment last year. Knowing that this pattern (which is really a set of habits) would continue unless I disrupted it, I set a goal to begin each month by setting a leadership focus for the next 30 days.
That’s all that I set out to do. And to my surprise, I managed to repeat this six months in a row.
➡️ This little experiment ended up making a big difference in how I spent my time. By establishing leadership priorities at the beginning of each month, I set a vision of what I wanted to accomplish. When things got busy, I was able to review this—and this helped me reset my focus.
➡️ I also identified two to three specific results or experiences that were important to complete. And I named something that was draining my energy that I wanted to stop doing (often by giving it to others!).
➡️ Because these were all written down, I found myself being more likely to follow through on these priorities, making sure they were done within the 30 days.
So this year, I’m stretching myself. My new goal is to develop the habit of setting a focus for the whole year, using monthly and quarterly check-ins to review progress and refine my approach.
I’ve even developed a workbook to help me with this! You can download your own copy here.
I’d love to invite you to join me in adopting this leadership habit. Set your leadership focus for the coming year. And then develop a rhythm of sharpening it one month at a time, and reflecting on your progress once a quarter.
Choose an area where you want to grow – be it strategic thinking, influencing others, or building resilience. Define what you hope to accomplish.
Getting started is easy!
Simply complete the one-page “My Focus as a Leader for 2024” in the workbook. And follow that with your “Focus For January.”
Would you like support as you develop this habit?
Here’s my offer:
- I will send you a regular reminder that it’s time to set your monthly leadership focus (starting on February 1).
- Bonus: You’ll also receive a quarterly reminder when it’s time to review and reflect on the preceding three months.
- I am hosting a quarterly Leaders’ Reflection Circle. This is a space in which you can meet and learn with other leaders who are also building this leadership habit.
Use the Habit-Building Buddy List to sign up for the monthly reminders and to request more information on the quarterly Leaders’ Reflection Circle.
Just imagine where a more intentional and disciplined focus will take your leadership this year!
I look forward to embarking on this leadership development journey together in 2024. I can’t wait to hear what area you’ll be focusing on and how I can help support your growth.
Until next time,
