patriciarossiblogWe all love the fun of setting New Year’s Resolutions.  However, setting goals is a bit more practical.  Think of goal setting as a resolution with a plan.  This is a great time to realign your goals for 2015.  The most popular goals for the new year are often centered around home, health, and career.  Whether you are focused on a promotion or raise, or simply dream of a more harmonious work culture, these tips will help you start fresh and carry you through the new year.

TIP #1 Build Relationships That Matter

We all want the same three things:  more time, more money, more work life balance.  The quickest way to those three golden eggs is simple.  Build relationships that matter.  Think about this African proverb and one of my all-time favorite quotes:  “Go fast go alone.  Go far go together.”

TIP #2 Have Three Knee Cap to Knee Cap Meetings Every Week

Whether it be a long slow lunch or a sizzling short coffee date, being with people face to face builds trust, value and meaning.  Make an effort to connect with people in person to form a deeper relationship.

TIP #3 Say No to Things That Don’t Align With Your Goals

It is okay to say not to things that don’t align with your goals.  My friend, Bob Burg, suggest you make a point of lavishing appreciation for the “offer” while declining.  The key is to not give an excuse or reason.  Doing so would give the person something tangible to answer, and that can trip you up.  If you say, “I don’t have time” or “I don’t have the skill” or something similar, the person can then answer the objection, which forces you to either come up with another one, accept the task, or admit that you were fibbing.