5 Takeaways From 2023

It’s become a bit of a tradition for us to pause, reflect, and determine what we’ve learned at the end of each year.

Perhaps it’s because we believe in being lifelong learners. Or maybe it’s because we love to look for patterns and trends in our own world as much as we do for our clients. Or it could just be that we want to be certain we don’t make the same mistakes two years in a row. Whatever the case, we’re sharing our takeaways so you too can take from it what you wish. Happy 2024!

Redefine your sense of balance

In business and in life we used to think that being balanced was a place of stillness and peace, like a yoga pose. But this year we’ve realized that balance is much more like riding a bicycle—it requires constant movement and adjustment. To be successful and to avoid feeling frustrated you need to change your mindset and just keep pushing on. Strong businesses and people are always pivoting and adjusting. It’s inevitable. When the hills get steep or the winds blow in your face you have to pedal harder to keep your balance. Being still is not the answer.

Lean into systems

This year we started using EOS (Enterprise Operating System) to help us be more planful, focused, and targeted on strategies for growth. We’ve always been systems people, but having a forced cadence to step back, take stock, and make sure we are not just doing the daily work, but also working on our business evolution is key. We’ve also learned that whatever systems you use, it’s important to tailor them to your business and your employees. No system was built just for you, so take from it what works and adjust it to fit what you need.

Embrace new work culture

We’ve seen too many employers trying to force people back to old ways. But strong arming won’t work. Great workers will follow great leaders. Hybrid working is here to stay and businesses need to embrace it. The trick is to utilize the right tools, set new standards, and take time to connect as people as well as get tasks done.

Technology can facilitate better connections, but remember different people perceive things from different perspectives. For example, my teenager thinks I’m rude when I use punctuation in a text; I think he’s rude when he doesn’t. Turns out neither of us is intending to be. The same can apply at work. Be sure to outline expectations for any tech tools and train your staff on rules of engagement to avoid wrong assumptions. Finally, reinforce your workplace culture with new forms of interaction. Start meetings with brief social sharing, schedule in-person meet-ups, and remember to allow for cross-department collaboration to prevent siloed thinking.

Share experiences in real time

People seem eager to be together again, but the way we do business in social settings is changing. Less is more. Instead of going to a networking event every week, people are picking one or two a month based on who will be in attendance, because relationships and personal connections matter more than venues or menus.

People want to feel human and relatable, and have real experiences that are worth their time, because time is valuable. Meaningful experiences shared in real time are the new way to network. We’ve all watched too many YouTube videos and attended too many webinars over the past few years. Being someplace in person with people we like feels good. But not too often. We’ve gotten used to our comfy pants and “me” time. We still need to pace ourselves. So, meet up, be real, and then go home and veg again.

Surround yourself with what matters

Perhaps because the world feels a bit unsteady, it’s more important than ever to be sure the people you work with and for are absolutely trustworthy. Life is too short to feel gross about your job and the work you do. We’ve been in business long enough to know there are plenty of ethical clients out there to politely move along if someone acts unethically. Take the high road, cut your losses, and know that you will feel better, sleep better, and be better in all ways if you do.

Ethics, like any other feeling or action—good or bad—is contagious. So, in the coming year we will work to surround ourselves with the behaviors, feelings, and actions that we want to see and be, because we know they are catchy. We encourage you to choose wisely as well and surround yourself with what matters in 2024.