Well, folks, we’ve made it to the final weeks of 2023. It’s been an eventful year to say the least – there’s been a lot of turmoil, and some positive changes as well.

For Change Coaches, this year has been one of remarkable growth. We expanded our team and have been able to deliver more coaching and leadership development resources. The collaborative energy that has driven us forward is something I am personally so grateful for.

At the end of a long year, it feels right to sit with the reminder that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It requires continuity. Last year around this time, I spent some time reflecting on why clean slates aren’t always the best way to start a new year. To know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there, it can be really helpful to look back at where you’ve been.

My word for 2024

When I think about the past year, the word that comes to me is “impact.” Reflecting on the meaning of this word has helped me think about what I want the next year to look like.

Let me explain with a little anecdote: one of the things I’m most proud of accomplishing over the past year is the launch of the Change Coaches Leadership + Team Effectiveness Assessment™. This tool has become an integral part of our work, and left a positive impact on so many of our clients.

One of the things that motivated me this year was making our services and offerings more accessible to more people. This was a challenge, but little by little, we accomplished this goal in a few ways – we launched the Leading Below the Surface™ Podcast, introduced new and improved programs, re-branded some offerings, and plan to do even more next year with the launch of two leadership accelerator programs (if you’re interested, there’s more information at the bottom of the newsletter).

It mattered that we did all these things because we were guided by a vision of the impact we would have. Most of the time it felt like we were doing things before we were 100% ready, or shifting around resources so we could make things happen. I was uncertain, some of the time. But I was also motivated by the sense that if we did what we set out to do, we could really impact the teams and organizations we were working with. And the feedback has been positive. As the world changes, and we enter 2024, I’m holding on to this very word – IMPACT – as a focus to guide me in the new year.

What are you bringing into 2024?

A lot of us are going into the new year holding a lot of grief and anxiety about the world around us. War, economic shifts, and technological changes have got a lot of people feeling uncertain. In times like these, it is even more important to lean into our values, and we can connect with those certain things through reflection, and a reminder of how we got here.

This week’s episode of the Leading Below the Surface™ podcast gets into a timely question – what are some ways we can close our year out strong? One of the things I get into in the episode is the power of discovering what motivates you. The motivation we find within ourselves is powerful: it centers us, focuses us, and we become better teammates, co-workers, and leaders as a result. It also helps us build resilience and find joy, even when times are tough. Here’s a brief clip from it:

And the direct link: https://youtu.be/5VHuDIDkJLE

Seeing the impact Change Coaches has on the world keeps me motivated. Things can be imperfect but knowing that impact is always there helps me continue to move forward when times get tough.

So, as you go into 2024, I encourage you to find your guiding word by reflecting on the following prompts:

  • In big-picture terms, what motivates you?
  • Day-to-day, what keeps that motivation alive?
  • What have you learned from the past year that taught you about what motivated you?
  • What would be your role in a dystopia (would you be the helper, the solider, etc.)? Side note: Maybe I watch too many sci-fi movies…🎦
  • What will be your word going into 2024?

As you think about these questions, I want to wish you a relaxing and contemplative holiday season. Thank you for being part of my journey this year, and I look forward to more in 2024 – motivated and ready to go!

Here are some ways to engage in further reflection: