This Year I resolve to… 

2011 is over and we've started 2012, so it seems appropriate to discuss resolutions; those commitments we make…our personal goals or projects… to discard a bad habit, or just change for the better. A New Year's Resolution, therefore, is generally a goal someone writes down on December 31^st and sets out to accomplish in the upcoming year...and then promptly forgets or gives up by about January 15^th.

I have written a list of resolutions you might like to consider for yourself or your business. For you bottom-line types, if you want to skip ahead, they start  just a few paragraphs down. For those of you who like a bit more information and background...read on.

I started thinking about the history of resolutions and I discovered some interesting facts.  The tradition of New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C.   It seems that Janus, a mythical king (or god) of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.  With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions.

The month of January, was called Januarius, the first month of the Roman calendar; after Janus.  Apparently, he was the god of doors, gates, and also the beginning of the day. Janua was Latin for a gate or opening...an entrance.  With that image in mind, you can understand why the Romans prayed to Janus when they started a new work.  Our custom sprang from these ancient rituals.

Some additional information:

** 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals: but only 12% actually    achieved their goals.

** A separate study in 2007 from the University of Bristol showed that 78% of those who set New Year resolutions fail.

** Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in formal goal setting.

** Women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

Quoting Author Frank Ra; "Resolutions are more sustainable when shared, both in terms of with whom you share the benefits of your resolution, and with whom you share the path of maintaining your resolution.

Here is a list of resolutions you can consider for the upcoming year.  Based on my research, it may help if you read
these out loud to someone else (and sound like you mean it).

This year I resolve to…

…spend more time analyzing and reviewing my business and numbers. 

If I’m a salesperson, this means my forecasts, quotas, pipeline, commissions, G.P. %, and new business development activities.

If I’m in operations, this means my productivity, completion rates, contribution to profitability, and living
within the budget.

If I’m in ownership or senior management, this means analyzing and understanding my financials,
reviewing A/R, balancing the budget with the forecast throughout the year, and identify
and justify all costs in the business plan.

This year I resolve to…

…increase sales.

If I’m a salesperson, this means creating a better elevator speech,  improving my networking, attending more events, making more calls, increasing my activity, becoming more proactive, contacting all my existing and prior customers, targeting my competitors’ customers, and increase my overall G.P. % by selling more than product.

If I’m in operations, this means increasing and offering more billable services, completing all projects and
service work to boost sales and customer confidence, making more joint sales calls with sales staff, setting times to train the sales staff on our service offerings, and having a formal service program with standard pricing to make it
easier to sell and present services.

If I’m in ownership or senior management, this means doing a better job of introducing people so that new connections grow,  winning back disgruntled customers, increasing  my personal network at senior, decision-making  levels, strengthening relationships with strategic vendors, and recognizing and rewarding people for their performance.

For everyone -

This year I resolve to…

…make better use of my time by...

Identifying my top time-wasters and avoiding them.

Spending less time in non-productive activities.

Balancing my time better - making time to work, read, study, play, and rest. 

By living in the moment – when it’s work time; work. When done, focusing on the next activity.

Not dwelling too long on past mistakes or successes; learning from either one and moving on.

This year I resolve to…

 …improve my communications; written and verbal by…

Trying to listen more and talk less.

Listening and reading for ideas and understanding, not always agreement.

Asking more and better questions and then listening to the answers.

Interrupting less.

Letting others know the best way to communicate with me and not making them guess.

Improving my writing and speaking skills for clarity of thought and purpose. 

This year I resolve to…

…organize myself and my work by…

Writing down my daily “to-do” list and following it every day.

Checking my daily calendar throughout the day.

Keeping my workspace as uncluttered as possible.

Filing completed work every day.

Throwing away or donating things that no longer bring value. If it’s not useful or beautiful – get rid of it!

Making sure to communicate my schedule to those who are involved.

This year I resolve to…

Learning my present job better.

Cross-training with other departments that add to my knowledge of, and value to the company.

Asking more and better questions.

Seeking a mentor who can help me grow.

Taking classes that lead to new opportunities.

Reading work-related material.

Reading or listening to the news every day.

This year I resolve to…

...be easier to work with by…

Focusing more on doing the right things and less on being right.

Focusing on the activities that result in the greatest outcomes for everyone.

Not always responding immediately; waiting till I’ve had a chance to listen to and consider other points of view.

Being more open and responsive to others.

Respecting other points of view.

Not feeling the need to respond to every comment.

Respecting other people’s time and privacy.

Not making unnecessary work for others.

This year I resolve to…

…improve my mental and physical health by…

Finding a regular exercise program that fits my life style.

Trying to eat a more balanced diet.

Learning it is best to, “Eat to live, not live to eat”.

Giving myself permission to rest and rejuvenate.

Kicking the bad habit of (fill in the blank).

This year I resolve to work harder, listen better, and appreciate all my great
clients more than ever before.  I also resolve to thank the people who publish my articles and those who take the time to read them.  Happy New Year and may all your resolutions come true.                                 

I am an independent business consultant, speaker, writer, and trainer who specializes in the office furniture industry.  I can be reached directly at 916.434.8711 or jim@jheilbornassociates.com.  My website is www.jheilbornassociates.com and my profile is registered on LinkedIn.