That’s a wrap… 2023 a year in review
As we say goodbye to the past year, let’s pause for a moment to reflect on the highs, lows, and the valuable lessons we’ve picked up along the way in 2023. In this article, we’ll share our thoughts on what we’ve learned, celebrate a few achievements, and explore what the upcoming year has in store for us.
Lessons From 2023
Taking time to reflect is a big personal and professional practice for me. I find this practice so valuable as it allows me to recognise my own strengths and weaknesses, and use this to guide ongoing growth and learning. So what are some of the lessons I’ve learnt, looking back on the previous year?
1. Failures in the business are a reflection of my leadership
One of our core company values is accountability, applicable not only to my team but also to me. Taking full ownership of actions and decisions, rather than placing blame, is crucial for learning and improvement. Some areas where this has come up for me include hiring the right people, not having the right checklists and processes in place, not determining hierarchy and not having crystal clear communication.
2. Action is key
Stop procrastinating. Stop thinking about it. Just do it. Embrace mistakes as part of the process. Just get started. Last year, this mindset proved particularly relevant in the realm of estimating. Initially, I relied too heavily on staff for estimating tasks. Realising the necessity of mastering the process myself before delegation, I committed to finding the right software and developing a comprehensive understanding of the estimation process. It seemed like such an overwhelming task, I kept putting it off, and then once I got stuck in, it just started to flow.
3. If you’re too busy to write processes and systems, you’ll always be too busy
This was one of the key learnings I took out of the professional development course I completed last year with Protrade. So simple, and so true. Since then it’s been a big focus of mine, developing checklists, processes and systems wherever I can to streamline and eventually pass on, as much as possible. This includes hiring the right staff when the workload seems overwhelming, to help you build and determine what a system or process looks like.
4. Trust your team
This was perhaps one of the most satisfying lessons I learnt last year. Trust your staff. Once you’ve figured out they’re the right fit for the business, give them space, give them autonomy, give them an opportunity to grow, to make mistakes, and they will flourish. I’ve seen this happen with all of the boys on my team this year, and I couldn’t be prouder.