The Leader Mindset #41

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Seeing Your Leadership Clearly Before Next Year

By late December, most of us are already reflecting on the past year and preparing for the year to come.

We think about relationships, money, health, and work. We take stock of what went well, what didn’t, and what we want to handle differently next year. Sometimes we write it down. More often, it just sits quietly in the back of our minds while we’re driving to the next store or standing in long checkout lines.

Leadership deserves a spot in that reflection.

Not in a heavy, self-critical way, and not as a performance review exercise. But as an honest look at your effect this year. The kind of look that helps you decide where to focus next.

In my experience, the leaders who grow the most are rarely the ones who assume they have it figured out. They’re the ones who stop and ask, “What did my leadership actually create?” Not what they intended or hoped, but what actually happened.

That habit shows up everywhere else we admire excellence.

Michael Jordan is a good example. By the time he was widely considered the best basketball player in the world, he was still known for outworking almost everyone. Extra shots. Extra conditioning. Relentless repetition. Not because he was struggling, but because he understood something simple. There was always something to refine to be even better.

Leadership works the same way.

With reflection and practice, you will get better, too.

So, if this is a good time to pause, what do you actually reflect on?

First a caveat: You do not need to tackle all of these at once. Pick one or two a day over the holidays. The goal is to find clarity, not to be overwhelmed.

Start with reflection questions that force you to examine your real impact, even when the answers are uncomfortable.

Here is the best place to start - Your Results.

Did my team achieve the most important performance outcomes this year? Why or why not?
What outcomes truly mattered, and did my leadership help or hinder team success?

Then look beyond outcomes to the environment you created.

Did I provide the support, clarity, and conditions my people needed to grow?
Where did I build team capacity, and where did I unintentionally slow it down?

Now turn the lens inward.

Did I learn and grow as a leader this year? Did I take advantage of all growth opportunities?
What experiences stretched me, and what lessons am I carrying forward?

Zoom out to focus.

Did I focus myself and my team on the right work? How do I know?
What MUST I stop doing next year to create more impact?

And then, the questions most leaders try to rush past.

Did I take the required courageous actions? If not, why?
Where did I avoid discomfort, and what did that avoidance cost the team?

In your reflections use information you received throughout the year. Here are a few suggestions.

• Feedback you received

•  Performance metrics (both results and team-based)

• Moments when things did not go well

• Times you hesitated because you did not feel comfortable

Those moments are information. They are telling you something about your leadership, even if no one spelled it out.

End with the questions that matter most.

What kind of leader do I need to become next year?
What will I adjust to achieve the impact I want next year?

You are not looking for perfection. You are looking for clarity and focus.

Leadership doesn’t improve by accident. It improves when we slow down long enough to see clearly and choose differently next time.

I hope the holidays give you that space. Time to rest, time to reflect, and just enough quiet to decide how you want to lead differently in the year ahead.

Happy holidays and good luck reflecting.

Andy Noon, PhD

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Andy