How my personal New Year’s goals will make me a better leader

I haven’t typically been among those who declare their New Year’s resolutions. As a business leader, I set long- and short-term goals and work with my teams to achieve them, and each year I try to include a couple of personal goals.

This year, as part of the celebration for being named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the 20th year in a row, we decided to close the last week of the year and give all our US professionals more time to refresh and spend time with their loved ones. This meant more time for me to unwind with my family, and it gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I wanted to achieve in the next calendar year.

In addition to my plans for growing the business, I know there are personal areas where I could “grow” too. This year I decided to align my hopes for continuous change and improvement in all facets of my life. For years I wanted to place more emphasis on personal goals, so for 2019 I decided to really commit to myself, to my family and to all of you.

As I spent time thinking them through, I realized that obtaining these personal goals would not only have a positive effect on me — it would make me a more effective leader. So, for the first time ever, I will publicly announce my version of New Year’s resolutions in hopes it will make me more accountable.  

In 2019 I plan to do the following:

• Set aside more time for family. From the moment I moved back to New York City to resume the role as the Northeast Regional Managing Partner, I have had to travel back and forth to spend time with my family. At times my position didn’t allow for many visits home, which led to feelings of guilt and sadness. Although I went to great lengths to be there for my family, I want to elevate those efforts.

This year I want to be especially intentional in setting aside time with my loved ones, not only by spending quality time together on a regular basis, but by spending more time with each of my children and my wife individually. To ensure this happens, I plan to be more strategic in how I structure my calendar and schedule my in-person meetings in the middle of the week, so I can work closer to home on the weekdays that bookend the weekend. This will make me fulfilled as a father and a husband, and will allow me to be even more present when I am with my EY family. It will also enforce my strong support for work-life balance and encourage others to follow suit.

• Unplug and refrain. Anyone who has sent me an email late in the evening or wee hours in the morning knows that I respond rather quickly. With the extensive number of emails and texts I receive daily, it would be hard to keep current without frequently being on my smartphone. At times this can be extremely draining and exhausting.

This year I’d like to take more of an effort to turn off the phone and unplug — to recharge, be more effective and drive home the importance of balance. To lead by example, I am further committed to exercising self-control in sending off-hour emails. I’ll wait until typical working hours, after the weekend or holiday. I’m proud to say that I practiced this during the recent holidays, and I am sure my leadership team appreciated not receiving emails from me during their break!  

• Fitness and nutrition. My favorite physical challenge is hiking in the mountains, but I don’t get to do that very often when I am in the city. I also enjoy skiing, golfing and CrossFit, but this year I’d like to try one of the latest fitness regimens or participate in a Spartan race. I would also like to be more mindful of the nutrition I am putting into my body and focus on the foods I eat.

Fitness and wellness have always been top priorities for me and are extremely important in keeping a clear mind, lowering stress levels and being my best self. At EY we have numerous programs to help our people stay fit and healthy, so I hope my efforts encourage others to do the same.

• Continuing my LGBT+ advocacy. For those of you who have been following me on social media, you know I spent a great deal of time advocating for the LBGT+ community. Last year you saw me speaking to the media, at conferences, on the Hill and to our people about the importance of inclusion and equality for the LGBT+ community. I even had the honor to be among extraordinary business leaders after being named one of the 2018 Financial Times OUTstanding 50 Ally Executives.

Aside from just doing the right thing and having a personal connection, as a father to a transgender son, I have spoken to the importance the LGBT+ community has from a business perspective. Although I feel we made some strides this past year by being the first among the Big Four to sign on to the Human Rights Coalition, being an integral supporter of the Yes on 3 ballot initiative in Massachusetts and further developing our LGBT+ internal education and diversity supplier program, there is still more to be done. As the 50th anniversary of Stonewall comes upon us this year, I plan to continue to lead our efforts to support equality for all and take it to the next level.

• Get out of my comfort zone. Personally and professionally, I toe the line between taking calculated risks and opting for a conservative approach. In the last few years I found my personal experiences frequently taking me outside of my comfort zone. At times it was uncomfortable, but I know that is when I experienced the most growth.

This year I want to make a more conscious effort to live outside my norm and be open-minded to new experiences. As a business leader in an age of disruption, if you don’t think outside of the box and take risks, you won’t succeed.

• Play more golf. For as long as I can remember I have loved the game of golf. I’ve been fortunate enough to play at over 40 historic courses, and playing on every golf course in the top 100 is on my bucket list. Disappointedly, last year’s schedule didn’t allow for much time to play, and I vow to take more time this season to dedicate to one of my greatest passions.

In addition to developing valuable relationships on the course, I hope that doing what I love will encourage others to exhibit self-care and enjoy hobbies and interests outside of work.

I am excited about the year ahead and achieving both my personal and professional goals, while hopefully influencing and inspiring others to do the same. For those of you who know me, some of these efforts that require real structure will be hard to keep, so wish me luck!

What are your New Year’s goals?