It’s the time of year when most of us decide to do some things differently. There’s something powerful about a new year as we assess our lives, our business and even our relationships with others. The prospect of a new year lends itself to a fresh start and a sense that we will behave differently now because the calendar changed a digit or two. The reality is that many of the intentions we have to behave differently in the New Year will not result in sustainable change. To really change what we do, we have to change how we think.
Our mindset isn’t something we are stuck with; it’s something that we have created for ourselves through repetition of those same ideas to ourselves over time. We can change it the same way. It’s not easy, but it wasn’t easy creating it for ourselves either, it took some time.
The same is true in business and for business leaders. Leaders who bring out the best in their people always seem to believe that they have people who are capable of more. Leaders who believe there is a bright future ahead for the business spend time helping others see the potential for success.
The real question as we enter a new year and set new goals and aspirations is not how do I need to behave differently in order to accomplish more, it’s how do I need to think differently. Decide how you need your business to change for the coming year. Understand specifically what changes you need to make as a leader to help it make those shifts. Then examine how you need to think and what you need to focus on in order to operate in that way.
You may even find it useful to seek out people who operate that way consistently and learn from them. Don’t make the mistake that most people do though when they seek to duplicate success. Don’t focus only on the actions or the so-called best practices that the successful person is exhibiting, focus on the mindset they have as they put those actions into play. Duplicating that will not only help you change your current behaviors but sustain them as well.
This year as you seek to lead differently, accomplish more or achieve something different, create the mindset for yourself that will help you get there. Thinking like last year will get you last year’s actions and last year’s results. If you want something different, you will have to think differently to achieve it.
Leading Through Influence
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