If statistics are to be believed, three weeks ago 45% of you reading this will have made New Years Resolutions.
The same statistics say that by now on the 20th of January, just under 20% of those who made resolutions will have broken or given up on them, and that in another fortnight less than two thirds of people who made resolutions during the New Year festivities will still be actively pursuing them. The authors of the Book of Odds quote research that says after one year, 1 in 8 people will have kept a resolution.
As a performance coach, it intrigues me as to why we choose this time of year to proclaim new exercise regimes, banish certain food items from the cupboard, commit to being better organised or promise to be more attentive to friends and family. As a very imperfect member of the human species, I understand it, oh so well. The end of the calendar year naturally lends itself to reflection on the 12 months past and to wistfully think of hopes and dreams of the year ahead. Combine this with the fact that most people have some downtime during a holiday period (time to step back) and it’s easy to see why the Christmas and New Year period is a popular time to visualise a better self.
For those of you wondering, I personally have not made New Year's Resolutions. Why? It is not (like Calvin - >) because of a belief that I am perfect in my current state. It is more related to my feeling that often New Years Resolutions are made based on whim and instinct rather than clarity of thought, focus, and realistic, ongoing commitment.
So what do I do instead? I reset.
Reset vs Resolution
The reset phase is a vital one in our Team Alchemy Life Cycle. It is an essential ingredient to ensure that teams, and individuals in teams, can grow in a strong and healthy manner. Applied and executed properly, the reset phase of the life cycle approach will nurture a productive collaborative spirit amongst the team and its members towards development and performance improvement and ensure a fulfilling (work) life together.
Personally, I find I have benefited tremendously from the times when I have been in the reset phase. In particular I enjoy the chance to reflect on successes, learn from the challenges, and to recognise the contributions of those who made both possible. I find this process equally rewarding whether I am doing it as a team member, or as a personal practice.
Below are some differences between ‘resetting’ as a phase in the Team Alchemy Life Cycle and ‘resolutions’ such as those regularly made during the New Year period.
My Own Reset for 2014
The second half of 2013 and early 2014 has been a period of stimulating change on both a personal and professional level. As a result my wife Jan and I are presently waist deep in open homes, auctions, boxes, removal trucks, designers, builders, etc, etc, as we set up a new home and relocate our business to Paekakariki on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand. While this has been a hectic and at times chaotic period, it has also been one which has allowed us to reflect on life, work, relationships and what exactly this lifestyle change means. For us this is a prolonged ‘reset phase’ which will lay the foundation for the next phase of our lives.
From a Team Alchemy perspective while the move undoubtedly changes a few logistical details, our goals and objectives for the business remain largely the same. Our mission remains to help organisations build collaborative networks of high performance teams that deliver great business results. To do this we will continue to work with our existing clients in NZ and Australia provide facilitation coaching and consultancy services while also growing our international network of business colleagues, facilitators, and coaches who commit to utilising our Team Alchemy System
Your Own Reset?
For those of you who are in, entering or have recently concluded a ‘reset’ phase, be it personal or professional, the new year is undoubtedly a great time to be doing so. In our work we see time and time again the benefits of proactive resets for both teams and individuals, so for those of you going through the process, I wish you great success! And in the spirit of 'resetting', here is Oliver Burkeman's alternative approach to setting resolutions for you to consider.
As always I am very interested to hear your thoughts and perspectives about this blog. Do you make resolutions? Do you ‘reset’? Do you prefer one over the other or is there room for both? I would love to hear about any resets (or resolutions!) that you have entered into recently in the comments section below.
Happy New Year and all the best for a successful 2014.
Trevor
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© 2013 Team Alchemy. Click here to read about the Team Alchemy writers.
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