New Year's Resolutions, One Month Late
Susan DiMattia, SLA's president, and I share this space by alternating our columns on a monthly basis. Since Susan had the good fortune to welcome you into the new millennium, I shall take this opportunity to do the same. I do not, however, consider this a tardy welcome. Most of you have, no doubt, only recently assuaged your fears or concerns about Y2K issues, both in your personal and professional lives. So we can all now begin to focus on the next year or the next decade.
The time-honored Western tradition of making resolutions for the new year is a perfect time for you to give your career a kick-start. Unlike most resolutions (which are typically forgotten by the middle of this month), the ones you make at work should be goals you can actually achieve. SLA offers the following for your consideration:
1. Resolve to establish a working relationship with one high-ranking executive in your organization whom you don't know. Your skills are valuable to everyone in your organization. Why not make a personal commitment to get to know a key decision-maker and find ways to help them be more successful. It will pay dividends for you and the services you provide.
2. Resolve to do one thing in your daily work routine per month in a way you've never done it. It's a win/win scenario. By doing it differently and getting a better result, you'll improve your performance. By getting a less-than-stellar result, you'll learn something that you didn't know before, either about you or others. Caution: I'm not suggesting that you do something crazy, like drinking coffee while standing on your head! Start simple, then think of more complicated things later.
3. Resolve to take time out of your busy schedule to volunteer for something in your organization. It might make you feel good about yourself, and you'll probably interact with a variety of people in your organization with whom you'd otherwise never get to know. That can reap benefits for your career down the road.
4. Resolve to take a new employee (outside of your department) to lunch or coffee. It's a long-term investment that will likely help you in the end.
5. Resolve to try a new hobby outside of work that you'd probably never consider. I met a member at the 1999 Annual Conference who became a rock climber recently. She told me that she was initially skeptical, but found it gave her new insights into her persona and how to work with others.
6. Resolve to add something new to your daily work routine and continue it throughout the year. Franklin Covey seminars suggest that, if you do something for twenty-one days, it will become a habit. Try doing this professionally. It just might make you a more valuable employee.
7. Resolve to make your organization's priorities a part of your professional priorities. If you haven't already, you're not working on the same page as the rest of your organization.
8. Resolve to support your professional association to the fullest. It's for all of us to choose to join SLA for the benefits we receive. But SLA only thrives when you become involved. Attending conferences and professional learning courses, purchasing publications that will aid in your professional growth, and becoming a leader will help you and SLA grow!
That should be enough to get you started!
David R. Bender, Ph.D.
Executive Director
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