Reviewing Your Year

It’s the time of year when many showroom owners take a step back to look at what worked, what fell short, 

It’s the time of year when many showroom owners take a step back to look at what worked, what fell short, what did not change and why. Year-end self-assessments can be extremely valuable because they provide time not only to reflect on what was, but also to project on what could be.

Take the time to reflect. When you identify what worked, you can leverage those advantages into 2024. When you spotlight mistakes, you are less likely to repeat them. Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis co-founded the firm Amazing. They offer the following advice to help perform a meaningful and productive year-end review. They encourage showroom owners to answer the following questions:

• What have I learned the most this year?
• What do I feel most proud of?
• Who has helped me to be at my best?
• How have my strengths helped me succeed?
• What’s the one thing I wish I could do differently? 

A review that generates positive results rarely occurs in a vacuum. Include participation from key team members that you trust and would contribute to the evaluation. Ask them to answer the following questions:

• What three words would you use to describe last year?
• What have you found most fulfilling – and most frustrating – in the last 12 months?
• When do you think you’ve been at your best this year?
• What beliefs have you held back that have gotten in your way?
• What’s the most useful thing that you’ve read, watched or listened to over the year?

After reflecting on the past, the next step is to project to the future and identify the areas you want to focus on in the coming year. To assist in that effort, Tupper and Ellis suggest addressing the following:

• One learning goal I will make progress on in 2024.
• One habit I will commit to.
• One way I will support someone else.
• One mistake I will never make again.

Remember Einstein’s definition of insanity. If you do the same things over and over again, don’t expect a different result. Taking the time to look back, capitalize on the lessons of experience and leverage your strengths while minimizing your shortcomings can help set the road map for a more productive, profitable, and enjoyable 2024.