At the end of each year, I always invite you to join me in reflecting on the past 12 months and setting intentions for the coming year. This is a valuable exercise, and I find it especially meaningful because we do it as a community.
I invite you to carve out a few quiet moments (even 10 minutes will do) to reflect on 2024. Grab a pen and paper – while digital notes work, too, there's something powerful about putting pen to paper that helps embed these insights more deeply. Don't aim for perfection; just capture your honest thoughts as they arise.
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
1. What Did You Learn About Yourself as a Leader in 2024?
In a year marked by continued uncertainty and change, what did you observe about your leadership style and approach? What patterns emerged in how you navigated challenges and opportunities? This year, I have really emphasized clarity and efficiency. As a team, we have created more space for higher-impact work and have streamlined, standardized, and automated a lot.
2. What Leadership Lessons Did Others Model for You?
Our growth often comes through watching and learning from those around us. What leadership qualities inspired you this year? What approaches made you think differently about your own style? I’ve had a lot of “real” conversations this year and see the power of showing vulnerability. When people can admit that they are stuck, it gives others the opportunity to step in, give support, and build stronger relationships with them.
3. What Will You Carry Forward into 2025?
Which accomplishments are you most proud of, and what enabled those successes? What strategies, mindsets or practices served you well? How can you put them into play more deliberately in 2025? I am so proud of what our team has accomplished this year. We had four implementations of New Lens with huge/Fortune 100 companies, we were on Bloomberg, and New Lens and Newberry Solutions got some big awards. That takes teamwork, passion, and commitment.
4. What Are You Ready to Leave Behind?
What limiting beliefs, concerns or approaches no longer serve you? What lessons from setbacks or challenges will help inform better choices ahead? We did a lot of experimentation in 2024 to help inform our go-forward approach. It was tiring and I’m ready to leave that fatigue behind. We’ve distilled some good lessons. Now, it’s time to focus on amplifying what worked and bring more ease and fun into 2025.
What insights came up for you as you answered these questions? Did anything surprise you? On my LinkedIn page, you can join the conversation about this year-end reflection.
How Can We Support You in 2025?
This marks our final article of 2024, but we'll return in January with fresh insights on leadership development. If you're planning for 2025, remember that Newberry Solutions is here to help. Our work with organizations across industries gives us unique insight into the trends and challenges leaders are facing. Whether through our New Lens® platform or other services, we'd love to explore how we can support your goals.
I'm deeply grateful for this community and the privilege of being part of your leadership journey this year. From all of us at Newberry Solutions, we wish you a peaceful holiday season and an inspiring start to 2025.