SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 170,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each Tuesday in our e-newsletter.
Last week, we asked: As 2012 ends and 2013 takes form, how are things shaping up?
- Next year is going to be fantastic: 12.11%
- Next year will be better than this year: 36.17%
- Next year will be about the same as this year: 26.27%
- Next year will be worse than this year: 19.07%
- Next year is going to be horrible: 6.38%
Signs of Optimism. Sure — more than half of you see next year as the same as or worse than this year but it’s pretty encouraging to see 48% of you saying next year will be better than this year, if not fantastic. The most important task I encourage leaders to take on is ensuring your team is prepared for what’s coming. Manage expectations. Set appropriate goals. Get them the resources they need. Next year’s results depend a great deal on how well you as a leader prepare your teams. The clock is ticking…better get started.
Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and author of “One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership.”