Happy New Year theClubhouse® family!
Whether you have been in the industry for one year, ten years, or even perhaps looking to break into it in the coming months; a new calendar year represents opportunity for change. When these opportunities present themselves in a new calendar year it can simply mean to start that project you’ve wanted to, improve on that skill set that might help you land that internship you’ve had an eye on, becoming more organized with your day to be a better salesperson, or start to be a more vocal leader on your team that could lead to that promotion you’ve been chasing. Regardless of what it is, people typically look at the turn of the calendar with a refreshed mindset and hopefully the following will serve as your sign to go make the most of your 2024!
As a nine-year veteran in the NHL, the turn of the calendar might not seem as significant as we are currently “in-season”, but for those working in a sales/service role for an NHL or NBA team specifically, the calendar changing marks a crucial point as you are likely nearing the completion of selling the current season and about to embark on selling a new campaign, in which having a refreshed mindset for the new year can dictate the outcome for the following 11 months.
Perhaps you didn’t finish on the leaderboard the way you would have liked to…not to worry, a new campaign represents a fresh start to achieve that top spot by prospecting more than your peers or finding new creative ways to grow your book of business.
Perhaps you’re worried about having to have hard conversations with your clients about renewals…not to worry, the remainder of this campaign represents opportunities to be proactive and get ahead of those challenges with impactful service touchpoints or an abundance of seat visits to show those clients you value their business and the relationship you have with them.
Perhaps you didn’t receive that promotion you wanted…not to worry, a new campaign represents an opportunity to showcase yourself again and make it undeniable the next time promotion decisions come around. This can include being that vocal leader on your team, leading by example and leading with a positive energetic attitude that creates followers and sets the culture for what your organization is about. This can include things like consistently winning the hustleboard each week and going above and beyond as the first on the phones each morning or making the 5-10 extra calls at the end of a Friday when it’s easy to ‘mail it in’, or ensure you’ve prospected enough businesses to lead to a full calendar of meetings in the weeks to come.
Now that you’ve read all of this and are thinking this is easier said than done, here are my three steps to help you put this into action:
1. Be Intentional
§ One of my favorite sports quotes comes from one of my favorite athletes, Ray Lewis, “The hardest thing to do is work hard when no one is watching”. In my opinion, this is what elevates the top performers because they don’t only work hard when their boss is watching, or only work hard in front of their peers, they do it all the time because they know it’s the right thing to do and more importantly, they do it for themself because it is what makes them a better professional and person.
2. Be Consistent
§ More likely than not, most of you will read this article and in 6-months’ time, it will long get forgotten and the progress towards whatever goals you have set out to start this year will hinge on how consistent you were in those months that have just passed you by. It is inevitable that we will all face challenges in the year to come but owe it to yourself to persevere through them and remain steadfast in your consistent habits knowing they are building blocks towards future success.
3. Be Humble
§ No doubt that along this journey there will be moments that provide great satisfaction: enjoy them, soak them up, celebrate them, but most importantly be grateful for them. Making the most of your New Year doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wait until this time next year to evaluate whether you achieved what you were hoping for. The goals and aspirations will vary from individual to individual and for some, the pinnacle of their 2024 could be in the not-too-distant future, embrace that everyone’s journey will have different start/end dates.
To “Making the Most of Your New Year”
Cheers!
- JP