What a rollercoaster of a year it has been. From the school strikes to the recent election it has felt like a year with very little stability in it. Now that we’ve come out the other end of the General Election there is some relief – whatever your politics – that at least a little of the uncertainty has come to an end. However, my instinct is that it’s not over yet. 2020 could be another momentous year full of challenges and opportunities and preparing for it is essential. So, while we’re waiting for the dust to settle after the election – and planning festivities for Christmas and New Year – it’s the ideal time to create some space to think about what really matters.
Turning the old decade on its head
If there is one word that could describe events of the past couple of years it’s ‘unexpected.’ This has created a real shift for many of us, breaking apart certainties that we felt about the future and requiring a change of perspective. As we come to the start of a new decade in which nothing is likely to be the same as it was, it’s essential to identify what you want to focus on in the foreseeable future. There are a number of different ways that you can do this, for example by asking these questions:
What are your individual values? What really matters to you right now? This is often something that is easiest to identify by looking at what’s going on in the world around you and noting how you feel about it. For example, gender issues may have governed how you voted in the election or you may find more and more of your time taken up with worrying about the environment. It’s useful to take a moment to pause and in that silence think about what your values are and why these are important.
How have your experiences shaped you? When you think about the events of the last decade, which have been the most influential in making you who you are today? You might find that when you pause you begin to think of people who inspire you – it may be useful to delve deeper to understand what it is about them that inspires you, and why. As you start to create a plan for 2020 onward, pausing to reflect on the experiences you’ve had so far can be a powerful way to identify the best path to take next.
What can you bring to the table? Whether you’re looking to create change or drive progress next year – either on an individual or group level - you’ll need to understand how you’re uniquely positioned to make that happen. What are your strengths? What can you bring to a situation that no one else can and what unique abilities do you have to make your goals and dreams a reality in the next 12 months – 10 years?
A case study?
I feel like I am as good a case study as any! And so I will share with you that, for me, the environment has become a key topic – one where my values and experiences have increasingly begun to combine in recent years. I also believe that my unique set of strengths provides me with a platform to drive change on this subject. As a result, I will be offering coaching conversations as a space where people can think about their response to what’s going on in the environment. If that resonates with you and you’d like to explore your own response, please get in touch. In working together as thinking partners I believe we will find new ways for you to live life at work and beyond.