Four Relections to Recalibrate and Re-energize

As a leader approaching the end of the year, you’re likely focused on packing as much as you can into the few weeks that are left. This includes completing important work that was likely pushed aside months ago for more urgent priorities, wondering how much vacation time you’ll have to leave on the table, and preparing for the holidays.

But most of all it’s a time to reflect on the year’s accomplishments, necessary pivots, surprises, disappointments, and realities. A time to recalibrate the coming year, anticipating challenges and opportunities, and developing plans and strategies to accomplish more aggressive goals. And a time to re-energize for the work ahead. So how do you proceed? Here are four areas to reflect on in order to prepare you for the new year.

  1. Professional Themes and Patterns

Observe the re-occurring themes and patterns that show up year after year. Each of us has a set of unique gifts and pathways in our lives. This is all part of our purpose, what we were born to accomplish. You have a role to play and an important purpose in your organization. Those patterns and themes are the clues to your purpose. Consider where you’ve been successful and where you’ve struggled. Identify the patterns of activity that lead to compliments, and the opportunities that appear to be readily available to you. Observe your strengths, friction points and the leadership habits that shaped your results. Write it down. Track it. Lean into it.

  1. Environmental Trends and Problems

How is the nature of work, business and competitive environment changing in your space? Are you on the leading or lagging edge of it, or the solid middle, and how does that serve you? The use of artificial intelligence has increased phenomenally, and every leader must develop a strategy to integrate it personally and in leading their organization. C-suite leaders of major companies have announced thousands of layoffs in the past months. There are other trends specific to your industry. How will you lead your team through them? How will you determine what is right for your business? What are the biggest problems you’ve faced in the past year, and how will you address them in the future?

  1. Memorable Moments

Each year is filled with the realities of wins and losses, and it’s important to understand them. Meet with your team to discuss…

  • Where did we win? What behaviors and situations contributed to the win?
  • Where do we wish we had performed better? In hindsight what should we have done differently?
  • What have we learned from this that we can apply to the future?

The objective is not to call out individuals or blame other teams, but to focus on how your team best operates together. As the leader you can begin by identifying how your own behaviors contributed to the outcomes. Sports teams review their footage whether they win or lose. They’re always trying to incrementally improve. Reinforce the importance of complementary skill set on the team and the important role that everyone plays.

In the process, celebrate the wins, the positive behaviors, the times where the group performed well as a team. Encourage the desired future behaviors and ensure this is reflected in their year end reviews.

  1. Personal Prompts

Find some quiet time to answer the following questions. This is the moment to increase self-awareness of how you’re feeling about what you’re doing, and to observe how others respond to your behaviors.

  • What was my most significant accomplishment this year?
  • Where did my leadership have the greatest positive impact?
  • What did I learn about leadership and how can I apply it?
  • Where do I need to focus more energy to grow?
  • What am I avoiding that I need to embrace?
  • Did I perform as well as I could have in my role?
  • What was my biggest challenge and how did I respond?
  • What can I do to help my team develop more?

Finally…

Reflection is valuable only if it shapes the future. Write down all your responses. Review them to recalibrate your behaviors, time management, and leadership style and then chart a path for the new year. Take time to rest as you reset for the road ahead. Apply your effort to things that energize you, and that energy will take you farther than you imagined.

Copyright 2025 Priscilla Archangel.
Photo from iStock, Alexeg84

Want more leadership tips read past leadership articles or check out the book LeaderVantage.