The new year is upon us; 2012 has come and gone, and with its absence comes 2013. At the top of nearly everyone’s to do list this month is setting up resolutions to get healthy, be more frugal, or start a new hobby. While those are all great things to start this month, take a different angle and try some of these things to do this January!
Mentor Now, Change Lives Forever
January is the National Mentoring Month, and with its proximity to the new year, it’s a great time to establish a new culture in your office. Whether your company is a simple operation or a several-hundred-employee mega firm, mentoring can change the dynamic of your business. According to the American Society of Training & Development, 71% of Fortune 500 companies use some form of mentoring to continue an atmosphere of learning in the workplace. It’s not a stretch to assume that mentoring had a major influence on putting those companies on the Fortune 500 short list.
Make a Habit That Lasts
There have been numerous studies that have focused on a specific number to which habits are formed. Some say, “If you do something 16 times, it becomes habit.” Or others say, “Continue doing this particular thing every day for a month, and then it will be habitual.” The problem with this philosophy is that there is no particular number that assures your new habit will last. Make it a point in 2013 to establish who you want to be as a leader and make little changes each day to realize that goal. Making it a habit to keep up with industry changes and reading leadership books will keep you sharp and may change your overall way of managing your office. Habits change who we are – set them up so you can change how you lead.
Compliment Day, It’s a Thing
Language is powerful. With our words, we have the power to raise people up or break them down. As a leader, your employees are looking to you for inspiration. There is no better way to inspire others to achieve more than by first taking the time to compliment their current achievements. Whether experienced in their fields or just learning, employees who are complimented and encouraged feel more connected to their jobs, and in turn, will be more engaged with their company. Jan. 24 is Compliment Day and is a particularly great way to start 2013 by creating a culture of encouragement. This is also National Thank You Month, so be sure to offer your thanks to each of your team members for all their hard work!
Give Blood, Save Lives
During World War II, the U.S. established the American Red Cross Blood Donor Service to supply lifesaving blood to troops. Now, they collect from nearly 4 million donors each year to help save those in need. January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, which gives you a great reason to make donating blood a part of your charitable activities in 2013. Every eight weeks, make it a habit to donate so you can be a part of helping those who need it most. If you don’t already, look into setting up blood drives at your office so you can get your employees involved, too.
Plan, Schedule, Organize – and Stick With It!
This new year, make a list of things you want to improve on, business strategies, or opportunities you’d like to follow up on and decide what needs to happen to actualize those goals. January is the perfect month to get organized and plan out the year. In fact, it’s National Get Organized Month! Start the year off right by having a meeting with your team to iron out all the details from the first quarter to the fourth, including important conferences and holiday leave. And, don’t forget the best way to figure out where you’re going in 2013 by figuring out where you went in 2012. Some events or busy times your company experienced this past year will be similar this year, so plan accordingly.
What are you doing in January? Let us know in the comments section below!
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