I know – most people have already closed the door on 2010 and rushed headlong into 2011. We made a different decision. We’ve spend a lot of time this month analyzing 2010 and discussing the good, the bad and the ugly.
• What did we do well?
• What didn’t work?
• What got in our way?
• What do we need to do differently?
• What do we need to continue to do?
• And where do we want to be at the end of 2011?
When Melynda and I have these conversations it’s like an excavation. We go beyond what’s easily discernable on the surface and dig deep. And we keep digging until we’ve looked under all of the rocks and shed light in those dark places that we’d rather forget about.
Why? Because we know that if we gloss over the truth – just to make ourselves look better – we’ll end up short-sheeting our future. We recognize that honest introspection takes time. We realize that our first thought is not always the best answer. And we understand that our business is worth the investment.
So what lessons did we learn from 2010?
Relationships, Relationships, Relationships
Relationships drove our business in 2010. Many of our coaching clients strengthened their businesses by focusing on improving staff relations. Graduates from the West Des Moines Leadership Academy and our signature program, Leaders to Go discovered how to support one another. And one of our large multi-national companies realized that long-term success can only be achieved when you concentration on both the task AND the people who get the work done.
Social Media
In 2010 we learned that social media can be a true multiplier. We have 700+ followers on Twitter. Our podcasts have helped secure speaking engagements. And hits to our website have increased one-hundred-fold since we updated our website and started blogging. Social media exposure drove our business to new heights in 2010 and it did the same thing for all of our small business clients.
Non Profit
2010 was a difficult year in the nonprofit world. We were pleased to work with many nonprofit organizations as well as partner with The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines to provide:
• Strategic planning retreats
• Employee recruitment and retention workshops
• Board effectiveness training
• Leadership coaching
And even in a down economy – our nonprofit clients have found ways to grow and improve service for their customers.
Go-Giving
No question about it – when we read The Go-Giver in 2008 the primary message of giving without expectations rang true. That’s why we started the Business Book Club. In 2010 100+ leaders read along with us as we explored six new business books. And that’s why we joined McLellan Marketing Group in supporting the Young Women’s Resource Center through MMG’s adopt-a-charity program.
We know that companies prosper and grow when they dig deep.
Let us help you reflect, rethink and realize in 2011!
