Leaders are about to turn the page from 2023 and to 2024. As they do so, I was reminded this past week of five questions they should be asking.
5 Questions Leaders Should Be Asking as They Finish 2023 and Move Into 2024
The following are five questions leaders should be asking as they finish 2023 and move into 2024:
Looking Back At 2023
For the past 55 years, Mattel’s Hot Wheels cars has been a staple of many children’s (and adult’s) lives. As noted in this USA Today article, these toys are still thriving. While many toys have fallen by the wayside or become obsolete, why do Hot Wheels continue to remain so popular?
In addition to their low price and quality, Bruce Pascal said, “You identify with the toy that came out in your childhood.”
So much so, many adults have become collectors. Anita Smith said, “Most collectors get into hobbies that remind them of the best times of their lives. And the best times of their lives was generally childhood, getting that toy on Christmas, or on a birthday.” She adds, “When I get a Redline in the mail now, it can look just as beautiful as when it was just off the assembly line 55 years ago. And I get that same feeling as was when I was a child at 5 or 7 years old.”
Here’s the leadership lesson we learn from Hot Wheels cars – You cannot successfully move into the future without first touching the past.
Leaders, what did you learn, who did you meet, and what did you experience in 2023 which will help you be a better leader in 2024?
The First Responsibility Of Leadership
Management expert and former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc Max Dupree famously said, “The first responsibility of leadership is to define reality.” His statement has been quoted often and generally accepted as fact. While it may be sacrilege, I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Dupree.
The first responsibility of leadership is not to define reality but to lead yourself well. If you can’t lead yourself first, you simply cannot lead others.
A couple of other thoughts on Dupree’s famous statement:
- I do believe defining reality is the second responsibility, so it is obviously vital to effective leadership.
- Defining reality is not a problem I see in many leaders. They are highly competent and can see what is working or not in their organization. The problem is not defining reality, it is denying it.
Leaders, are you willing to summon up the courage to not deny but rather deal with your 2023 realities in 2024?
Regressive Performance vs. Progressive Performance
One of the many realities leaders must deal with is the performance of those on their teams.
How you evaluated someone on January 1, 2023 may be completely different from how you evaluate them on December 31, 2023. Based upon their performance, they either progressed or regressed. New improvement plans will be needed in 2024.
This is why a football player can be projected as a First Round pick in August and then a Fourth Round pick in December. And vice versa. They either regress or progress.
The same is true for those in your organization. Performance is never stagnant. It is always progressing or regressing.
Leaders, is the performance of those in organization progressing or regressing?
No One Cares How Much You Know Until….
We have all heard no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. This is true. However, once they know how much you care, they deeply care how much you know.
People will only follow mental clumsiness for so long. Caring is not a leadership perfume for incompetence and poor leadership performance.
Leaders, do you have a plan for personal growth and increasing your competence in 2024?
Chaos or Creativity
I recently read the following quote from Tom House in the December 3, 2018 edition of Sports Illustrated. Speaking of Drew Brees, the quarterback coach said, “He orders chaos as well as anybody I’ve ever seen.”
In the wonderful Amazon series All or Nothing: Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta told the team in Season 1 Episode 1, “Where there is no order, there is no creativity. It’s just chaos. You have to organize this chaos into something.”
Leaders, are you willing and able to organize the chaos in your life and organization in 2024?
- For more on the leadership of Drew Brees, click 10 Lessons Of What Leadership And Greatness Looks Like? Must-See Video Of What Drew Brees Does When No One Is Watching..
- For more on the leadership of Mikel Artetea, click 8 Characteristics Of A Winning Culture.
Conclusion
The following are five questions leaders should be asking as they finish 2023 and move into 2024:
- What did you learn, who did you meet, and what did you experience in 2023 which will help you be a better leader in 2024?
- Are you willing to summon up the courage to not deny but rather deal with your 2023 realities in 2024?
- Is the performance of those in organization progressing or regressing?
- Do you have a plan for personal growth and increasing your competence in 2024?
- Are you willing to organize the chaos in your life and organization in 2024?
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