End of year leadership checklist

It’s December already! Are you, like so many of us, shocked by all the things you thought you’d get done this year but that are still sitting on your to-do list? Time flies, as they say, and as leaders it is easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day that we forget to look at the bigger picture and make sure we’re taking care of the people around us. So we have created a leadership checklist to help you see out the old year and ring in the new one on a strong footing.

Appraisals

Let’s be honest, appraisals are sometimes treated with disregard by both leaders and employees. Don’t do this! Take some time before Christmas to do a serious and comprehensive appraisal with each of your team members. If you treat the process with respect, those in your team will start doing the same. Use this time to really work out what each team member wants to achieve next year and the areas in which they have room to grow and develop.

Praise and recognition

Although an appraisal is a great opportunity to give praise and to recognise each individual’s successes, it is also good to do this in a more public forum. Start a tradition of an end-of-year awards ceremony at the Christmas party or just make sure you call out any exceptional work over the next few weeks, even in a casual, less formal way. After all, everyone loves to be recognised for their contributions.

Gaps

During the next four weeks take some time to look at the strengths of your team and what you will need from each individual to meet your 2020 goals. Are there gaps in skills, experience, technology or even just people power? Identify those gaps and start formulating a plan for how you can fill them – whether it be through more training, extra staff, investing in new equipment or upgrading software. Knowing what you will need for 2020 is great but a plan for exactly how you’re going to achieve it will have you starting the new year on the front foot.

Opportunities

The start of a new year is a great time to set new and lofty aspirations for yourself and your team. So do just that. Where are the opportunities for growth, success and learning in 2020? Make a list, make a plan and be prepared to chase after your goals come January!

Celebrate

When was the last time you took some time with your team to celebrate? Even if 2019 hasn’t quite gone to plan or you haven’t reached the targets or budgets you set, there are sure to be other things to celebrate, both big and small. The end of the year is the perfect time to do this, to make your team members feel as though they have added value and contributed to the company’s successes.

Don’t start 2020 with a long list of still-to-dos. There is time to make sure you start the new year in the best possible way, both for you as a leader and for those on your team. We’ve got four weeks – and counting – so now is the time to get all those things checked off your to-do list.