Content originally taken from eBella Magazine, “Start the Year Powerfully” by Kelly Townsend.
As 2016 begins, many business owners may have already created, or are thinking about, their goals and budgets for the upcoming year. What they often miss though, is taking the time to end the year powerfully. I call it, ‘completing the year.’ If you haven’t completed 2015 powerfully, take some time this month to consider the good and bad of the past year.
Why Complete the year?
When people are complete, they don’t hold on to past resentments and regrets. They accept everything the way it is (or isn’t), and are at peace. Everything from the past — disappointments, conversations, disagreements — stays in the past, and they can look to the future. Being complete is powerful because it provides each person unlimited potential and access to think creatively. When you and your staff are complete, you can create something that’s never been possible before. You and your workers are creating from scratch, versus trying to find ways to fix, compensate or over-come what they think is wrong from the past
How to Complete the year Powerfully
First, deal with anything that’s incomplete. Take a hard look at your business strategy and the goals you set for 2015. What did you say you would do that did not get accomplished — either individually, or as a group? Give your workers an opportunity to be responsible for what they did or did not do. If you didn’t create a plan and your workers did not create promises, acknowledge that as well. Then take actions to get these issues complete. For instance, maybe you came up with a new system to deal with a lack of communication, and then you didn’t implement it. Deal powerfully with the consequences. Do not allow anyone to come up with justifications for not keeping their word. This relentless pursuit of restoring integrity and gaining completion will make you and your people look for ways to generate breakthroughs in your company. In order to complete 2015, you also want to pay attention to any communication that is getting in the way. Are there any unresolved misunderstandings or arguments? Does anyone have resentments or regrets that haven’t been dealt with? Now is the time to communicate them and put the past behind you.
The end of the year is a time to acknowledge the accomplishments of your staff and honor areas in which they experienced professional growth, as well. Passing along praise for a job well done is always appreciated. Completion is a powerful exercise that truly empowers people and organizations. Imagine the freedom for people to participate at an entirely new level, free from constraints that the past imposes on their view.
