Leading with Focus

 

Audio Version

What are you going to focus on this year to sharpen your leadership and increase your influence? Did you take time to reflect at the end of the year to think about how you could improve as a leader? If you have not taken the time to do so, it is not too late. Continuous improvement should always be at the forefront of a leader’s mind, and what better time to think about improving than at the beginning of a new year? The new year has already begun, and for some people, New Year's resolutions have already been made. Have you asked yourself why people make New Year's resolutions? If you were to ask me this question, my answer would be that people know they are not or have not been the best version of themselves—they know they need to improve. So pressing reset at the beginning of a new year to make a resolution makes sense. Or does it? According to the Drive Research Team, in their report titled New Year's Resolutions Statistics and Trends (November 18, 2024), "92% of adults will not follow through on a resolution." This is an alarming number. So, maybe, just maybe, starting a new year should not be about creating a resolution to develop new goals, but rather becoming the person you are supposed to be to help you accomplish the goals you have already set for yourself.

Therefore, I propose something different than setting a resolution. I propose picking a word of the year. I have been picking a word of the year for the past seven or eight years. Picking a word of the year has impacted me a lot more than a New Year's resolution. Having a word of the year has helped me focus on being and becoming the person that lives and leads the way my word of the year suggests. Throughout the year, the word has increased my focus and served as a constant reminder to grow and develop habits that would help me become and reflect the word through my actions, attitude, and thoughts.

The words I have chosen all correlated with my values or something I value. You should not select a word just because it sounds good. Rather, reflect on where you are now and where you want to be; think about the people you are leading and the type of leader they need you to be; and then choose a word that will push you to become the leader you are supposed to be for the people you serve. Being true to yourself, knowing who you are as a leader, who you are supposed to be as a leader, and what you have been called to do as a leader are key factors when picking your word of the year. As you grow and become what the word represents, the people most connected to you will be impacted by your growth.

The word I chose for this year is excellence. I love how Ryan Leak described excellence. He said, "Excellence is a habit." And, paraphrasing another comment of his, Excellence is the product of consistency and intentionality. Wow, this is not just a feel-good word. To demonstrate excellence, I have to commit to being consistent and intentional. This is something that will take time and effort. Consistency does not happen overnight. The word in itself communicates something that happens over time. Intentionality will be displayed through planning and paying attention to detail. So, in my word of the year, I have three areas of focus: 1) Being Consistent; 2) Planning; and 3) Paying Attention to Detail.

Application:

1. Pick a Word of the Year: Be intentional about the word you choose to guide you throughout the year, and select a word that correlates with your values that will help you be the leader you are supposed to be for the people you serve. If you took the time to reflect at the end of last year, you should have the information you need to guide you in selecting a word that you can focus on to help sharpen you as a leader.
2. Develop a Personal Growth Plan: Use your word of the year to develop your personal growth plan for the year.
• Create a reading plan that includes books or other resources that focus on your word.
• Listen to podcasts, watch videos, and other sources that are geared toward your word and spend time talking to people who demonstrate the habit your word communicates.
• Attend workshops, seminars, trainings, or conferences that focus on the word you chose.
• Talk to your coach regularly about how you apply your word in your leadership and ask for guidance, feedback, and support. 
3. Implement It: Start being what your word communicates. Remember, you have selected a word that resonates with you because it reflects the person, the leader, you know you are supposed to be. You are focusing on this word because you know it will help you be the leader your people need. Whether you are leading at home, in the community, at your place of worship, or at your workplace, your people need the best version of you. So do not hesitate to implement your plan. Whatever you decide to do, do it. You and your people will be better because of it.

Conclusion:

What is your word of the year? If you do not have a word of the year, I encourage you to select a word that will drive you to become the person you were created to be. It is bigger than making resolutions to set new goals to accomplish. It is about growing as a person and developing habits that will make you the leader you are meant to be. 

Additional Comments:

I want to hear from you. Please post your comments, feedback, or suggestions in the comments section on this page. Thank you for reading or listening to this blog post. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed year ahead. Stay tuned for the next blog, scheduled to be posted during the week of February 2, 2026.