Yes, you are 100% right—it is time to start looking back at the year to see what you did well and what didn’t work. I really do feel as if we have just started 2025 with all its dreams and wishes. As a person who takes goal setting very seriously and always wants to win, the year-end audit is very difficult. What I have learned over the past few years is that there are many ways to look at “stats” and that you have to be unbiased when you look at the year in review.
The reason why I say this is because data can sometimes be misleading. In certain cases, 1% growth can be massive. When we talk about culture, 1% can be the difference between failure and success. It all depends on the way you look at it and what really matters to you as the leader. 1% growth in your figures is actually a loss with inflation at around 5%, but often it takes a few years to implement certain strategies. As a leader, you must always look at data with an objective eye.
Micro Victories Lead to Macro Change
How often do you see that the systems you put in place take a year or two to bear fruit? How often have you looked at the culture in the company and how long it takes to get people to work in a new way or embrace a new culture? There is no doubt in my mind that many micro victories will give you macro change in the long run. The days of “go big or go home” are numbered as we navigate the very sensitive world of business, politics, and sport.
I believe we must always work on 5 things at a time. Maybe you can let me know what 5 things you have stopped in 2025, 5 things that you have started in 2025, and 5 things that you feel that you have won in the course of this fantastic year 2025.
The Personal Side of Performance
Maybe you have had some personal gains that have put you on another level. Maybe you have suffered massive losses in 2025, not in business life but in personal life. Your ability to perform well at work determines how “comfortable” you are in your personal life. If your personal life is a mess, and you are going to bed late at night and not sleeping well, then you will not be as sharp as you usually are at work.
So when you do your year-end review this year, try and look at the 1% wins. Try and be grateful for what you have and the people that you have. Sometimes small gains over a long period of time can give you more sustained growth. Think about the rabbit and the tortoise scenario and understand that small, consistent improvements have a massive impact in the long run. When you look at a tortoise, he moves very slowly. When you turn your back and have a chat with someone, he moves a lot faster than it looks when you watch him all the time. Never compromise quality, hard work, and ethics, but try and look at the 1% gains that can make significant impacts.
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to get in touch with me about my key note presentation, Debunking Motivation, please send an email to corne@cornekrige.com. Visit my website to review my speaker sheet for more info. I also share my story on my social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.