As the sun set on Labor Day, my friend, Duane Hallock, posted the following message to Facebook (along with one of his awesome photographs), “Unofficially, summer has now come to an end.” He’s right. The days are getting shorter, the kids are back in school, the weather is a touch cooler… the air feels like fall.
For me, this is always a time of mixed emotion. While I am always sad to say goodbye to the fun and sun of summertime, autumn is a great season to gather my thoughts and get back to business. In my own work, I’m thinking about how to make the most of the remaining months of the calendar year, considering ways to leverage the holiday season to forge connections for myself and others, looking forward to 2016 and identifying opportunities for growth.
As the harvest season enters your purview, what thoughts are you gathering together? A few ideas for your consideration:
- (Re)Connect. Quick! List five people you’ve been meaning to connect with in a networking capacity. Now, reach out to them. Could be people you already know who are squarely in your relationship base, but you haven’t seen in a while. Could be someone with whom you would like to discuss a business opportunity. Could be someone you met only in passing, but would like to get to know better. Whoever it is, take the first step to (re)connect. Send an email, place a phone call… whatever your preference, make it a priority to get on their calendars between now and December 31, 2015.
- Set Goals. Give some strategic consideration to your goals – professional and/or personal. Write down one short term goal – something you hope to accomplish before the end of the year and something that has a slightly longer time horizon. Consider using the “SMART” criteria to document them – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.
- Give Thanks. Look around you and take note of your achievements and the “gifts,” large and small, you’ve received from those around you. Show your gratitude by dropping a handwritten thank you note in the mail to one person who has shown you a kindness… mention someone you admire or share something they’ve written on social media… make an introduction between two of your contacts who could benefit from knowing one another. It will make them feel great… it will make you feel even better!
So, so long, summer… hello fall! These are actions in which I, myself, will be engaging to harvest my ideas and take action to advance my own business. Eager to hear how you will celebrate the season; please take a moment to comment at CoffeeLunchCoffee.com.