New Year's Resolutions for Career Success

As you know, I am sometimes asked to review new books and you're going to enjoy this lesson passed on from the latest. It's The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, publisher of SUCCESS magazine. 

He writes about how small changes today will make a big difference over time - that's the compound effect. It works for money and it works in other parts of our lives. So it got me thinking about making small resolutions at the start of the year that can pay off in big ways over time.

All of us know how to make resolutions in our personal lives - resolutions to lose weight, work out, etc., but how many of us make smart resolutions for our work lives? So, here are a few ways to spend 15 minutes a day that will make a big difference. We know they work because we and our clients use them! Choose one and allocate 15 minutes each day to:

1. Read your company's quarterly earning statement and any other documents (or webcasts) that relate to business performance and strategy.
2. Track your metrics to ensure you're advancing your organization's goals.
3. Network more strategically. Analyze, extend and nurture your internal and external network.
4. Pass along a sincere compliment to someone in your strategic network (internal or external, direct report, colleague or up the management chain).
5. Embrace your gifts - skills, knowledge, values and attributes.
6. Set a daily plan to focus your energy and time on delivering key outcomes.

I've offered 2 ideas for each of the 3 elements of our definition of leadership, "Leadership is using the greatness in you to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes by engaging the greatness in others." By devoting 15 minutes a day to at least one, you'll be enhancing your leadership skills and making a difference to the people around you and the organization you work for.

Here's to a year of great success - at whatever level you lead.

Lead ON!
Susan
Susan Colantuono is CEO of Leading Women and author of No Ceiling, No Walls.
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