Laying the Groundwork for 2017

If you haven’t done so already, right now is a good time of the year to take a self-assessment of your 2016 performance.  You can use that self-assessment to review what you did well and where you could improve, and set your goals for 2017 to make the most of the year ahead. 

As part of this exercise, it’s important to look at your past numbers.  You may need to ask for them from your manager or supervisor.  If possible, see if you can compare your numbers to your co-workers who are excelling and at the top of their game.  You should be able to find some opportunities for improvement in certain areas once you drill down on the data and compare your numbers to their numbers side-by-side. 

If you’re a top performer, congrats, you’re probably already doing an exercise similar to this on a regular basis.  It’s part of the reason why you’re a top performer!

So now that you've done your 2016 self-assessment and identified your 2017 opportunities for improvement, how are you going to implement your plan going forward?

Here are a few things I've learned over the years that may help you in your journey:

1. Be Patient - It's going to take at least 30 days before you start to see some results.
2. Be Consistent - Make the effort every day. If you don't...someone else will.
3. Be Positive - People like to work with people who are positive and see the glass as half full vs. half empty.
4. Be Open – Get out there and meet with people. Use your contacts to find out who they know and see how they might be able to help you reach your goals.
5. Be Helpful – Ask your contacts how you can help them. Good things will happen when you do this and it makes you feel good to help connect two people doing business.

Good luck...go make it happen!