What will you review?
This is the week between Christmas & New Year where we start to reflect and review your own performance. Thinking back over the year of what we did well, what could have been better, and what major lessons have we learned. Are we reviewing where we could be? Where we are? Or just how far we have come?
The end of the year is the natural time for us to do this. As our calendar turns next week, it seems that it give us a new lease on whatever it is we are doing. If we didn't make partner, grow our territory, meet our goals this year, we have a new shot to do it come January 1st.
But let's not only look at what we didn't do. Let's try to really pull out the things that we did well. Where did we grow? Who did we add value to? What did we hit out of the park?
If you have a difficult time remembering all the small victories throughout the year, let me give you a simple tip. I use this exercise in classes I teach for students to pull the golden nuggets out of the class, and I also use it personally. It's called a 3:2:1 Exercise.
Each week, I journal the following:
3 - Things I did well ..
Here, I write out the 3 big things that I did well. Whether it is closing a new deal, helping a friend or family member, or adding value to someone. I actually have a goal to add value to 3 people per week, and this is where I log my mini successes.
2 - Things I struggled with ...
Here is where I document what I did wrong, or needs correcting. Often I find myself writing things like; I shouldn't have said this or that to my wife, or I didn't meet my prospecting goal for the week. I try to pull out the things that I didn't do that would have helped me meet or exceed a certain goal.
1 - Key Learning
This is where I write out what one key thing or lesson that I learned. I find these in the podcasts I listen too, the books I read, or in situations with customers and clients. Not only do I document this key item, but I try to write out where I can use it as an example or in my day to day life.
As I draw close to the end of the year this week, I review my journaling. I look for this things that I need to either congratulate myself or put as an action plan. When I see a certain topic show up in my "2 things I struggled with" more than a few times, I need to develop an action plan to overcome this.
What will you review?
If you are struggling with how to give yourself an honest year end assessment, then try the weekly assessment. It is so much easier to review your calendar, notes, and meetings at the end of each week to get those examples. What do I really need to work on next year? My notes will tell me ... how will you know?
As an executive coach, it is important that my clients use simple tools like this to see their progress. When you know at the end of the week you are going to call yourself out for things you didn't do, or could have done better, the pressure is on. Our personal and professional growth path needs to be monitored more than once per year. Don't surprise yourself in Week 52 by finding out you are in the same place as you were last year.