At the end of a year or the beginning of the next, organizations develop plans and goals for the coming year. They define or refine their strategy, assess and adjust their priorities, and update their goals. As leaders we should do the same for our personal plans and goals for the coming year.

As human beings we are all a work in progress. We hopefully continue to develop throughout our lives but never reach that finished end state. Just as we do with our organizations, we need to step back periodically and refine, assess, adjust, or update our personal plans and goals.

As we move into a new year it might be the right time to ask ourselves some questions and work on our self-awareness, such as the following:

• What personal challenges are inhibiting my effectiveness as a person and a leader?
• Are there issues from my past that need to be brought into the light, examined, and dealt with proactively?
• Are there strengths that I should be using more effectively?
• Are there weaknesses that I need to address so that they no longer hold me back?
• Are there relationships that need my attention and greater effort?
• What can I do to build into my character more of the traits of leadership?
• Am I allocating my resources of time, energy, and money in line with my life purpose statement?
• Is my list of core values still representative of who I am and what I stand for?
• Are my long-term goals still appropriate?
• What are my personal, relational, and professional goals for the coming year?

If we are not moving forward, it is likely that we are slipping backwards. Therefore we should all be aware of our growth opportunities and have a personal development plan in place. An effective leader is always working on growing. Your growth plan is much different than a few New Year’s resolutions. Growth plans include specific goals and action plans with a focus on developing a more fruitful life. If you are struggling to develop such a plan or feel that you are stuck, New Horizon Partners, Inc. can provide coaching services to assist in thinking these things through and developing and implementing a growth plan.

Have you developed your growth goals for this year?