I’ve never been one for making New Year’s resolutions.
It’s not that I don’t think there’s merit in making them. New Year’s is a great time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past 365 days and the areas in which you might have fallen short, either in business or any other aspect of life. The issue that I’ve always had is one that I think most people share—sticking to resolutions. Just as important as the resolutions themselves is making sure you’re held accountable to them.
Outside of work this year, I have a fairly cliché resolution to cross-country ski at least once a week. I was a regular skier for years until about seven years ago, when that activity and most anything else requiring physical fitness fell out of my life.
While running around the yard with my son the other day, I realized just how the years of lethargy have affected me. So, with some help from my wife, I’m getting back on the skis. Her role is to hold me accountable in this silly way: No homemade cookies for a year if I miss a week due to anything other than poor conditions, illness or emergencies.
I’ve never had a resolution monitor before, and if you had any idea how much I value my wife’s baking, you’d understand that this is a very serious matter.
In business, there are always areas for improvement, areas in which you might have made resolutions for 2014. Maybe it’s as broad as being a better leader, increasing revenue, or building your net profit margin. It might be more narrowly focused on enhancing customer satisfaction or increasing your average repair order.
Whatever your resolutions are, be sure others in your shop know about them and find a way to hold yourself accountable. Public awareness can be a powerful motivator, especially if the people who know about your intentions are those who will ultimately reap the benefits should your goals be realized.
And whatever your business resolutions are, know that you can look to Ratchet+Wrench in 2014 to make them a reality. Here’s to a successful new year.
Jake Weyer
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