2018 Resolutions and Your Personal Performance Plan

The start of a new year is always a good time to make plans. Here are a few suggestions for New Year's Resolutions for the career minded. We would also love to hear about any resolutions that you have personally set. Submit your comments through our blog. 

Planning for your own professional performance development.
A big change for everyone is that companies don't spend as much money on training as they once did. Even if they offer training, it is based on their needs for today. Each person needs to take responsibility for their own personal performance development plan. Set your goals for 2018.

Understanding functional and industry skills
If you already understand the changing nature of your field, map out the skills and knowledge you need to build. If you are unsure of what the future holds ...

for your functional area and industry, start talking to colleagues, reading industry news, and attending professional meetings.

Using Strengths-Based Leadership Model
In this model, individual strengths are grouped into the four leadership themes of executing, influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking. An online assessment that reports a person's top five strengths can by used by an individual to identify current strengths and develop a personal performance plan to enhance these strengths. Utilizing your strengths as you build on your knowledge and experience will help you be more effective, successful, and professionally satisfied.

Examples of 2018 Goals

• Start or finish a class - Identify a skill or knowledge area and develop a plan that targets it. Are there classes, Webinars, projects, or committees that you can join to help build this area?
• Share summaries of industry trends with colleagues to focus on my Learner strength - Identify a strength that you aren't using as much as you could and develop a plan that targets it. How can you build your strengths into the work you do?
• Meet with 1-2 new people each month to discuss industry changes - Actively network and have conversations with people instead of collecting "friends" and "connections." Reconnect with a past colleague or network connection that you haven't talk to in a while.
• Attend local professional meetings monthly - Join a professional association or networking group near you and register for their next local event.
• Update your resume with your 2017 accomplishments, even if you are not actively searching.
• Each Sunday I will review my progress and set new goals - Schedule time weekly to work on your career or job search and keep this appointment with yourself.
• Start or expand your LinkedIn profile.
• Join professional groups and your alma mater's group on LinkedIn.
• At least once a month I will facilitate introductions between work colleagues or my LinkedIn network - Help someone else make a connection. Introduce your connections to each other because a little good karma never hurts.
• Every other week, I will meet with my accountability partner - Partner with a friend or another alumnus. Meet on a regular basis to share plans, progress and ideas.

Which of these could you adopt?

As you pursue your 2018, set realistic timelines for your goals and be specific about what you wish to achieve. This will help you stay focused and on track.

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