Deja vu?
You’re racing to the end of another calendar year and, guess what? For a CEO, this one ends just like the last! Not the details, of course, but you’ve been here before when it comes to the overall uncertainty about the business environment.
The U.S. economy has experienced its fastest 6-months growth in the past ten years, and yet the rest of the world economy looks much less sanguine, and many are concerned about how this may affect the U.S. economy.
On the national political scene we will have both a Republican House and a Republican Senate come the New Year, and yet the most credible voices are predicting that gridlock in Washington will continue.
Technology continues its relentless advance, providing new tools for operational efficiencies; and yet it simultaneously confounds and frustrates most of us when it comes to marketing and the “promise” of social media.
With regard to finance, the business bankers are speaking more sweetly, but their banks are still behaving like the man who offers you an umbrella when the sun is shining but can’t seem to find one for you when it’s raining.
This uncertainty is nothing new to you! A CEO deals with it, planning for it and managing through it. But the real rub for most CEOs is on the personal side. With the holidays upon us, and with the end of another year at hand, I encourage you to ponder:
- Are you having any fun?
- Are you making money?
- Are you becoming more skillful at something?
- Are you generally headed toward your destination, toward your vision?
Underlying these questions is the really big one: “How ARE you??” That is, how are you doing intellectually, physically, and spiritually?
Do yourself a favor. Find a few minutes, no later than January 1st, to answer this question, in writing: Indeed, how the heck are you?
Specifically, address your intellectual state, physical state, and spiritual state. Then commit to taking actions that will result in progress in one, two, or all three areas in 2015. After you’ve done this, go back to those four questions regarding fun, money, skills, and vision, and take a crack at them. It’s a great way to clean out the cobwebs and launch your next twelve-month journey.
I wish you the very best in the New Year!
