What we’ve learned over this past year – 12 tips to keep in mind for 2022
Let me start by wishing you happy holidays and a prosperous 2022!
Now that the year is ending, it is my hope that you have taken the time to reflect on your personal and professional life, coming to an evaluation of where you are, and where you want to go. Adjusting to the changes around is as much of a challenge, as an opportunity to learn, to do differently, and to grow.
What we’ve learned over this past year – Here are 12 of my go-to tips to succeed in the workplace in 2022!
12. See uncertainty for what it is. We are not in control of everything. We need to develop flexibility, adaptability, and trust that things will work out as they should. Trust that the right people and opportunities come our way, and at the right time.
11. Create Awareness. If you are a manager in an organization, most likely you have people reporting to you. These people, whether they are aware of it or not, are constantly looking to mimic your behaviors and your decision-making. You are defining the company’s culture right there! To change negative behaviors in your organization and replace them with more positive and productive ones, you need to create awareness in your people and foster that behavior. Don’t forget that creating awareness starts with you!
10. Always keep in mind that your company’s culture is working silently beneath processes, procedures, people’s interactions, systems… knowing if the culture is supporting or undermining results will save you much time and money!
9. Before putting organizational change programs and initiatives in place, assess your culture – quantify its current impact on the business, and identify what is working well and what is driving dysfunction. From that knowledge, you can define initiatives and programs that will be more effective and create real results. You don’t take medication before knowing what the illness is, right?
8. Find your Purpose. When people gain clarity of their Purpose, they start making professional and personal decisions that lead them to greater fulfillment and joy. Finding your Purpose may be one of the best investments of your life.
7. Shift from a problem-solving design to co-creating the future. The role of the manager needs to dramatically shift from “managing” to becoming more of a coach. There’s a need to move away from the traditional “directive and control” practice, and create space for people to experiment and learn, while giving them guidance and support along the way.
6. Make the culture in your organization, department, or team tangible! When it comes to creating a good company culture, there is no “one size fits all”. You see, each company has its own DNA, and that needs to be considered when creating plans for growth or transformation. You need to take your company’s current culture into consideration when designing strategic plans. This is the only way you can create harmony, acceptance and even excitement for change.
5. Increase the frequency of your feedback. Your teams and team members need to know how they are doing. They need constant feedback, so they aren’t caught by surprise. Performance reviews only twice a year or, even worse, once a year, are not supportive of a successful business. Developing your managers to improve their leadership abilities is crucial, especially in these new (working remotely) times. They need to better engage their people. Give feedback and ask for feedback!
4. Bring in Perspective. Avoid taking criticism personally. When someone expresses an opinion different to yours, don’t make it personal. This is an opportunity to learn how others see a given situation. This mindset will make your life much easier, and your interactions with others much more effective.
3. Develop coaching skills throughout the company. A coaching approach from managers ensures that people feel empowered to think for themselves, while helping them to keep up with the rapid changes in the company’s ongoing market and industry.
2. Approach the problem from a systemic angle. The solution for every challenge in your company or team should consider the main stakeholders and the dynamics between them. Using the Organizational Systemic Constellations methodology allows you to see dynamics in the workplace that are usually hidden. These hidden dynamics may be silently paralyzing your people. This methodology points to solutions in a virtual setting that you can then apply in real life.
1. Cement your personal brand. Each one of us is unique, and we can leverage our uniqueness by knowing who we are. Seeing yourself as your authentic brand and acting like one leverages your personal resources. When your natural behavior aligns with your values, your passion, and your purpose, you become authentic to yourself and become perceived as authentic by others, and this is what builds loyalty and trust.
