Run vs Change – Where is Your Focus?

With every year-end, comes the many rounds of corporate “post-mortems” and executive annual reviews on how the company did.  In addition, there is also a discussion on individual performance and individuals reaching or missing their annual performance goals. As that wave passes, and the holidays come and go, we enter into the new “hopeful” cycle.

The part of the cycle where individuals, personally and professionally, vow that this year, they will do something different. Better. Either they will eat better, go to the gym more, hang out with friends on a regular basis, or maybe finish that new Dan Brown novel that came out 3 years ago. On the professional side, managers vow to exceed expectations, grow the company’s value or maybe just not be so late to work.

However, when we discuss and plan out our next year, on a professional side, we have to look at some high-level focus. Do we want to help run our company or help change our company? Neither is better or more right, but your role should not limit your focus.

By running the company, I don’t mean running it at a C-Suite level. I mean running the day-to-day operations, putting out fires and ensuring your staff are meeting SLAs and deadlines. And to change the organization? I don’t want you to picture drastic infrastructure or staffing changes. But when was the last time you stepped back and looked at your team’s processes? When was the last time you networked for the company to potentially gain new clients?

As managers and executives, we all have different personalities and interests. When planning out your new year, it is important to step back and see where your role falls – and if that’s where you want to be. Start thinking about work that will help change your organization and grow the company. Or maybe you need to focus more on properly running your team and managing your staff.

If you’re interested in learning more about professional focus, please contact Burnie Group about our Executive Leadership Diagnostic. We will work with you and your team over the year to understand your business and your focus, and ultimately what that means for your organization.

By: Andrew Martel, Senior Business Analyst