How to Have a Stellar 2022!
Cathie Leimbach • January 11, 2022
Are you ready for a stellar 2022? If not, you still have time to build a sound foundation for the year.
If you haven’t started your annual business plan yet, now is the time to:
- Sit down at the computer with your word processor open.
- Type out a few sentences that summarize what you wish your business to accomplish this year.
- Pick 3 key goals that are key to achieving success in your business. Set a measurable target for each.
- Reflect on how last year went for you. Type out the things you wish to continue doing, the things you will stop doing, and things you can start doing for 2022 to be even better than 2021.
- From your start and stop lists, pick the top 3 change areas to focus on this year. Since we have limited change energy, don’t try to make changes in more than 3 areas at once.
Once you have prepared your simple business plan, having a stellar year requires being intentional about your business activities every week and each day. This includes having a basic written plan for each week and each day, monitoring how well you implemented your plan, and gradually improving your implementation.
The steps of weekly and daily planning are simple:
- At the beginning of each week, read through your 3 key measurable goals and your 3 change areas.
- Write down the 3 tasks that are most important to complete this week to achieve your key goals.
- At the beginning of each day, write down the 3 most important things to do that day towards the week's most important tasks.
- Also, write down other things that need done as part of your regular business operations.
Monitoring and revising your plans can be simple, too:
- At the end of each day, review what you achieved, acknowledge your successes and identify things to do differently the next day.
- At the end of each week, review your achievements and develop your plan for the next week accordingly.
- At least monthly, review your progress towards your 3 key measurable goals and your 3 change areas.
- Revise your strategy if you aren’t making enough progress. Modify your big picture plan if you learn that your original plan isn’t realistic.
I wish you a stellar 2022! If you develop your plan, work your plan, monitor your plan, and revise your plan, you will be celebrating success a year from now!
Many organizations assume their biggest challenges are rapidly changing technology, customer retention, and employee initiative. But quite often, the root cause is people leadership problems. That’s one reason The Imperfect CEO by Jim Brown is so timely. Releasing today, May 19, the book explores how leaders build healthier organizations not by pretending to have all the answers, but by creating cultures grounded in trust, clarity, accountability, and meaningful conversations. Brian Besanceney, Chair, Board of Orlando Health, Inc., described the book this way: “Through vivid stories, real-world examples, and a model grounded in collaborative culture, Jim Brown gives leaders permission to wrestle honestly with the generational divides, misaligned targets, and cultural fractures that can too often sabotage high-potential organizations.” Greg Apple, CEO of Amgine.ai, connected the book to leadership beyond business alone: “In a fast-moving company, culture is everything. Jim Brown’s principles have helped our team lead with greater clarity and alignment. The Imperfect CEO distills those lessons brilliantly. Every leader should read it.” What stands out to me is how closely this book aligns with the principles behind Conversational Management. Healthy cultures are rarely built through policies alone. They are built through the quality of everyday leadership conversations — how expectations are clarified, how accountability is handled, how feedback is delivered, and how trust is strengthened over time. That’s why leadership development cannot stay theoretical. Culture changes conversation by conversation. The Imperfect CEO is an easy-to-read business fable that illustrates common people leadership challenges and provides suggestions for overcoming them. Order your copy today and start building healthier leadership conversations inside your organization.
Chick-fil-A restaurants often receive far more job applications than they have openings. This is not luck. It is leadership. People apply where they believe they will be treated well. At Chick-fil-A, employees experience respectful communication, clear expectations, and leaders who support their success. That reputation spreads quickly through word of mouth. Leaders in these restaurants do simple things well. They ask questions before they assume. They listen to employees. They provide encouragement and clear direction. They notice good work and address problems in a helpful way. As a result, employees feel valued. They enjoy coming to work. They tell others. That is what attracts more applicants. Many organizations focus only on hiring. Strong organizations focus on how people are treated after they are hired. When leaders create a workplace where people feel respected, supported, and clear on what success looks like, something powerful happens: People stay. People perform. And more people want to join. This is what leadership really is. Would you like to see several leadership and culture practices Chick-fil-A uses to attract and keep quality employees? Click here to view: How Chick-fil-A Attracts Quality Applicants