Well, it’s November, and we are closing in on the end of 2022. It’s time to look at where we started and how far we’ve come this year. Now, if it’s been a good year, this task is much more enjoyable but no less critical, and if it wasn’t a good year, it might be painful but critical. The process needs to be comprehensive. In the Marines, we had something we called an AAR or after-action review, and I would tell my leaders to take the gloves off and, get bloody, be brutally honest with ourselves and each other about what we did and failed to do.
Now, if you start with wins and losses, you can spend all your time patting yourselves on the back or drilling into trivia. Remember those goals with which you started the year; start with the ones you ranked as vital, then the important, and then you’re probably out of time. It’s ok to procrastinate the least important or put it on the agenda for a future meeting.
When looking at the success or failure in your vital goals, the first question should be, why? Was it the right goal? Did you have a great plan, solid processes, excellent execution, supporting habits, and routines? Capture the lessons. Next, consider those unexpected successes, the lesser priority that blew you away with a victory. Why did that happen? Is it repeatable and scalable? Does it have implications for your long-term goals or vision?
Having assessed your performance, remember those four actions you can take; start something beneficial, do more of something beneficial, or reduce or stop doing something disadvantageous; use these categories to group your wins and losses. Now look at these groups and consider the more significant “why.” Are your values solid, and is your vision clearer? Walk the dog backward from the outcome to your vision, reviewing your personal or organizational strategic plan and execution. Now, what needs to change? In the Marines, we talk about reinforcing success in battle, not failure, and Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” So, to get better results, something must change. Today, start assessing your performance, and in two weeks we will talk about shaping next year.
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Remember, “all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts.”™
