15 Feb 5 personal goal setting tips to kick off the year!
A New Year! Any new Intentions?
A belated welcome back to work for this year. Now is a perfect time to set some intentions on how you are going to feel fulfilled at work. Instead of making resolutions that we all know in our personal sphere we never keep for more than a few days or weeks, let your work intentions be something that you embody, value and stick to.
So here is my guide to 5 intentions to make work successful and fulfilling.
- Become your best possible self
How do you ensure you are your best possible self at work? What that means in real terms is making time for that all-important self-care which is so often taken for granted. Try investing in personal wellness by getting a massage, attending yoga or having a walk with a friend once a week. On a personal level, I recently started learning more about mindfulness meditation. I have found it useful to adopt a mindfulness approach to work by bringing a conscious focus to my beliefs, thoughts and feelings whilst at work. By the way, these are not indulgences but rather what will keep you well and in good form to soar and achieve at work.
Make a commitment to yourself to nurture and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with people who are supportive of what your business is trying to achieve. These people can turn out to be your biggest supporters, encourage you in your efforts to make the business a better place to work.
- Focus on your relationship with your team
How do you build on your relationship with your boss or your team to either form a positive relationship from the get-go or to improve an existing average relationship in order to set yourself up for success in the workplace? Here are some ideas to consider.
You may wish to set up a weekly catch up over a coffee or even a walk around the block. Walking meetings are becoming a very common trend (it also helps to get your steps up).
Secondly, you may decide to share your outlook calendar so what you are working on is visible and transparent to your boss or your team, thereby demonstrating a willingness to be open and promote a trusting relationship.
Speak only positively about others (even if you do not as yet have a great relationship). It is a well-known fact that people stay in jobs for their managers so bear that in mind if you want to have longevity in your staff. According to a Gallup study in 2016 around 50% of employees leave their company to get away from their bosses. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/gordon-tredgold/people-leave-bosses-not-c_b_9077466.html
- Avoid negative self talk
Stop thinking negative thoughts about yourself, your capability and how you believe you are being perceived at work. If you do not think highly of yourself, no one else will. The image you project is the one that others will see. They will take their cue from you in forming an opinion of who and what you are and how to behave. Be confident and be positive. Your positivity will filter down to the rest of the team.
Negativity is not just about how you view and project yourself but also how you relate to others, so you may want to consider saying no to gossip and to avoid complaining. No one appreciates a winger. It is easy to get caught up in the web of negative ‘chit-chat’. It’s a true sign of character and integrity if one doesn’t succumb to the temptation. Be the one who stands up as a leader. This is going to eventually get noticed by your staff and you will be seen as a leader who embodies the strong values of the organisation and promotes a positive culture in the team.
When things go pear-shaped and, indeed, at some point this is bound to happen with workplaces being everchanging and dynamic, don’t ‘throw your hands up’ and give up. Perhaps you can find a way to salvage the mess and fix it. At the very least you can try to take some steps to resolve it by calling a specialist to help.
- Learn something new
How about making the effort to learn something new in your ‘old’ job instead of just stagnating? If you fail to learn you will learn to fail. Being complacent is counter-productive. Without continually learning, you are more likely to get stale and this may be the start of a downward spiral. Perhaps you could join an external networking group or special interest group. Your input can be valuable. You may discover new business initiatives and share those with staff. Your staff may feel invigorated by your new knowledge and you may be able to create additional projects for them.
- Be a leader
Let others see you as someone who embodies the spirit of a leader. Be the person who people turn to for guidance and a chat. You could take ownership of things happening at work instead of letting others do it. If you are someone who exhibits honesty and integrity, confidence, commitment and passion then you already have important qualities of leadership. Furthermore, you could try to inspire others and develop your skills as a communicator. Leaders demonstrate accountability and good decision-making capabilities. Leaders are prepared to take action.
Here’s a thought….perhaps ask yourself the question – what actions are you prepared to take this year?
Nick Hedges is the founder of Resolve HR, a Sydney-based HR consultancy specialising in providing workplace advice to managers and business owners.
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