Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Managers

December 18, 2012, by HR à la carte | Performance Management

Many of us put together New Year’s resolutions for our private life – exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with friends and family.  But how many of us put together a list of resolutions for our work life?  Here is our Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Managers:

1.  Review your 2012 accomplishments and misses and determine the key learnings from both

If you want to avoid making the same mistakes you made in 2012, you need to reflect on the past year and figure out what went right and what went wrong and why.  Then ensure you build your key learnings into your 2013 strategy.  It’s a good idea to involve your team in this exercise as well.  They will have points of view and input you may miss on your own.

2.  Put together a list of realistic goals for you and your team for 2013

Ensure you incorporate your key learnings from #1 to help build your goals for 2013. Ensure your goals are SMART.

• Specific: The goal clearly describes a specific outcome or result.
• Measurable: The goal defines how success is accomplished. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
• Agreed To: Both the manager and the employee should be aligned as to what the goal is and what other resources are needed to accomplish it.
• Realistic: The goal is a stretch but yet is realistic and attainable.
• Time-Bound: The goal can be tracked and is based on a defined timeline.

3.  Read at least one new business book a quarter (or more often if you can)

It’s tough to be innovative if your thinking has become stale.  Kickstart your creativity by investing time in at least one new business book per quarter.

4.  Get into a routine of thanking your employees

Employees that feel appreciated are more likely to stick around when times get tough and do that extra little bit for you.  Here’s 7 quick, easy and inexpensive ways of recognizing your employees.

5.  Establish a rhythm of staff meetings and stick to it

Whether you meet once a week, once a month or once a quarter, it’s important to establish a rhythm of communicating with your employees.

6.  Get rid of your problem employees

This is probably the #1 thing managers procrastinate about.If you are, it is costing you in productivity, both in terms of the problem employee’s and the team in general.  Do yourself and your team a favour and act now.  Not sure how?  Talk to an HR professional about your options.

7.  Help your best employees perform even better

The squeaky wheel gets the oil.  We tend to focus all of our time and energy on our problem employees.  Whereas our best employees do not get the attention and time from us they deserve.  Vow to change this equation for 2013.

8.  Become a mentor

You’re a manager for a reason.  You’ve got skills and experiences that brought you to this point in your career.  Help grow your company even more by setting aside time each week or month to mentor the up and comers in your organization.  The bonus is you will also learn from them.

9.  Ask your employees how you can be a better manager to them

We all have blind spots as managers.  What better way to address them than to ask for feedback from the people you lead?  Be prepared for the answers you will get (you may not like or agree with them all) and vow to act on at least 2 of them to become a better manager in 2013.

10.  Invest in your professional development

Take the time to attend a few business seminars, workshops or conferences in 2013.