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If you are like most leaders, you are coming to the close of a very busy season, and a new year is on the doorstep. It is the perfect spot for reflection and for resetting yourself for the year ahead.

When it comes to leadership, it is easy to lose one very important thing if you are not careful. That one thing is yourself.

You can get so busy serving others that you lose sight of who you are and why you are here.

So, take a little time in the next few days to focus on YOU.

Here are some key questions to ask yourself.

What went right for you this year, personally and professionally?

Good things normally don’t “just happen”. They are the result of planning, preparation, application of strengths, and hard work. What may look like instant success to others, you know, is the result of concerted and consistent effort. Don’t just list your successes. Note what you did to create an environment for those successes. What are your innate strengths that came into play? And don’t forget to celebrate them!

What obstacles did you encounter?

These may include external challenges, but also often include internal challenges, like the voice in your mind that says you’re not good enough. It is important to note these obstacles in order to address them head on. My friend, Ed, used to call this “Taking your Gremlin to Court”. He urged each person to list what their “Gremlin” said and then argue the evidence to the contrary. When you do this, inevitably, the Gremlin loses – and you win.

What lessons did you learn from those obstacles?

While it is important to argue the false Gremlins; it is also important to face the real obstacles and learn from them.

• Did you overcome them? How?
• Did they stop you? Why?
• Were there external circumstances? How can you avoid them in the future?

What are your roles?

Everyone wears many hats these days. You may be, like many, part of the sandwich generation, with responsibilities for parents, children, and even grandchildren – all while also maintaining a busy career. You may have community responsibilities. And you certainly have home responsibilities as well.

Stop and reflect on your roles. This is your chance to be proactive. What roles will you continue into the new year? Where do you need help? What do you need to delegate, defer, or delete? What tools do you need to support you?

Your roles should reflect your values. If you are serving in a role that does not match or support your values, this is the time to question whether you should keep it on your plate.

As a leader in each of these roles, it is important to review each for necessity and then to optimize each one for impact. If you lead a business, this assessment is especially important.

• What are the roles that are uniquely yours in the company?
• What roles need to delegated so you can focus more on your unique roles?
• What roles are outside your strengths zone? If spreadsheets are like kryptonite to you, why are you still doing them? If connecting and marketing are your strengths, why are you hiding behind the administrative curtain?

How will you apply your energy to each role?

Each type of work requires different energy – physical, mental, or social, for example. And this often ties to your strengths.

• If physical energy comes easy to you, you will want to engage in physical activity early in your day. Accomplishing something early will energize the rest of your day.
• If you are a contemplator by nature, you will want to spend the first part of your day thinking and planning. This allows you to operate with quality and efficiency.
• And if you are more social by nature, you will want to engage with people early in your day. This may include time with your family or early morning meetings with your team. This sense of connection is what you need to start your day.

How will you allocate time to each role?

You have no doubt heard stories about leaders who rose to the top of their profession but lost their family and friends along the way. Don’t be that kind of leader. Be sure to identify each role you play based on your values. And now, before your calendar fills, allocate time for each of those roles in your schedule. Be sure to include your personal goals and aspirations in your schedule as well, so you don’t also lose yourself while climbing the ladder of success.

What is on your Yes, No, or Wait list?

No matter who you are, you only have twenty-four hours a day. Yes, you can “time stack” using automation and delegation. But even that has limits. You must prioritize in order to protect your time. What will you say “yes” to in this next year, and in the next quarter? What will you say “no” to? And what must wait?

This short meeting with yourself may be the most important meeting you have all year. Give it the time it deserves, and set yourself up for a great new year!

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!