The 12 months of Christmas: Push Aside the Obstacles in 2020!
Carl Garrod
Director at Libertad Growth | Director at African Growth | Director of Business Development (UK) at African Leadership Organization
As we get into December, or even November do you often talk to colleagues, contacts, prospects or customers - or perhaps find yourself saying: "we'll start doing something about this once we get the other side of Christmas" and sometimes question what prevents that burning issue from being looked at or acted on sooner? (Ironically I have planning to write a quick post on this subject since a month ago - so I am not immune to a bit of prevarication myself on occasions, I am quite willing to admit)!
We're all busy, and the more senior we are the more we will have on our plate drawing on our time and ability to give consideration to the various issues we know need looking at or acting on in the business.
The reality is there is always an excuse to be found if we want to look for one (and to be fair - these are not always an excuse, but do sometimes merit inspection as to whether they are as immovable as they might seem and whether there is a way wound these obstacles). In fact, although the effect is more pronounced at Christmas and over the Summer holiday season, there's always something on the agenda that can hold back the actions we need to take, pretty much round the year. Here's a few that seem to often come up, sometimes from necessity and genuine pressures, but sometimes less so...
December: It's nearly Christmas - we'll deal with this in the new year
January: We're just getting back to normality after Christmas, we'll move forward in February/later
February: A normal month?
March: It's the end of our financial year, we're too busy right now
April (ish): The Easter holiday is in the way, we'll deal with this in May
May (UK only): The bank holidays and people being off is slowing down the ability to make decisions/move projects forward.
June: Yay! A normal month?
July: Peak holiday season - we'll take action once the holiday season is over and people are all back in
August: Peak holiday season continued - we'll take action once the holiday season is over and people are all back in
September: We're getting back to normality after the holiday season.
October: A normal month? (with UK school half-term holidays sometimes taking people out of the office and disrupting projects/decisions).
November: A normal month... until we get to.... "it's nearly Christmas" again!
...And it's December again already!
Sound familiar? Did I miss something happening in March and June?
It's all too easy to let the genuine pressures and obstacles mingle with the ones that feel right, but might be holding us back! How many of the above do you use/hear from others and question at times how much they genuinely need to be a barrier to making things happen? I'd be interested to know of your thoughts and how you overcome these - whether at times when you question whether you might be limiting yourself, or when things are held up because of these. Do drop me a comment on this.
If you want to make the most of 2020, get set for the year - and keep things on track throughout 2020, jumping out of the post-Christmas "where do we start" feeling then do join us on the 16th January at the New Place Hotel (nr. Southampton) for Free Up Growth 2020! More details on the Eventbrite link below, or do please get in touch with me to learn more....
...A merry Christmas and happy (and productive!) new year 2020 to all reading this!
Operations Manager
1 年Carl, great post :)
I enable Managers and HR Professionals to be more productive - to unleash their potential, and transform performance. What a privilege!
4 年Yes, Carl.? This is what I experience with many people.? It simply amazes me that January catches everybody by surprise every year!!??
Leadership Coach | Team Dynamics | Effective Change | Workplace Wellbeing | Sustainable Solutions | Ideas Management | Project Management | Self Care | Supporting People and Teams through Change |
4 年It really is amazing how quickly the weeks, months and then years slip by. It is so important to be really clear at the start of a year on what is important and them putting systems and support in place to keep on track and find success.
Saxons Business International
4 年Very well put?