New Year’s Resolutions for Leaders

Every year, millions of people around the world make New Year’s resolutions. According to usa.gov, top resolutions range anywhere from losing weight, to recycling more; but for business leaders, why not make a resolution to improve your business and your own personal professional development as well. Below are a few wise words and tips for success from Dale Carnegie Training to help you put your best foot forward in 2014.

Research conducted by marketing guru Dan S. Kennedy found that 68 percent of customers stop giving a company their business because they feel unappreciated and unimportant. In the New Year, make it a point to exceed customer expectations through stellar customer service skills. Work hard to make sure that every employee is trained to reach these high standards to show consumers your company cares, and to ultimately foster customer loyalty.

Remember That There Is No ‘I’ In Team

While being the best leader you can be is critical to your company’s success, it is also important that leaders take time to foster engagement in each member of their team as well. If you thought that simply getting your work done and meeting your marks every year makes you a good leader, think again. Employee engagement, which is the emotional and functional commitment an employee has to his or her organization, plays a huge role in how employees perform, and ultimately how successful a company is. Companies with engaged employees outperform those with employees who are not engaged by up to 202 percent. Engaged employees feel personally connected to their company and work harder to improve customer satisfaction, thereby increasing ROI. All in all, engaged employees can make or break your business.

Here are 3 simple tips to help you improve employee engagement:

1. Always articulate a clear vision for everyone on your team.
2. Learn how to give constructive feedback without insulting your employees.
3. Constantly show your employees that they are truly valued.

Invest In Yourself

Last but certainly not least, every leader should consistently be investing in themselves. Regardless of what level you have reached in your professional career, there is always room improvement.  Through constant research, leadership training and networking, leaders should work on their personal development to make themselves more valuable to their company, and better professionals overall. One important tip that many leaders overlook is the power of stress reduction. Stress can hinder work performance and can also greatly affect your health. While some stress can be unavoidable and slightly beneficial, it’s critical that you learn how to control it. In the upcoming year, learn how to avoid letting stress get the best of you, and discover what methods and techniques work for you. By mastering stress control, you will become more valuable to your company, and will be able to live a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.

Do you have any business New Year’s resolutions for yourself? Share your resolutions, tips and insights below. Happy New Year!