Year end thoughts

The end of December is a deeply reflective time for me, as I spend time with family and plan for the coming year.

Along with my other projects—a new book, upcoming client work and speaking engagements, I also reflect on the direction of this blog. As such, rather than a typical post, I choose this week to note down some of the things on my mind, ideas that will surely work their way into what I write in the months to come.

Of late, I have been thinking more and more about corporate culture, continuing to wonder how we can do it better and why it does not seem to get the importance it deserves in organizations. As such, I intend to add some depth to our discussion of how leaders and their groups co-create exceptional team cultures, in a variety of contexts.

Another issue that I have come across with increasing frequency—and which I would like to address one day soon—is distraction and multitasking in today’s world. To me, how we deal with our digital devices, constant interruption in the workplace and in our social lives, and the changing nature of human conversation in general—all this is evolving into one of the most fascinating questions of our time.

Distraction, multitasking and interruption are of particular interest to me, as I wonder about the impact they will have on our personal and leadership development. All of these phenomena take us away from reflective time, and I am increasingly convinced that introspection and self-awareness are critical to any individual’s growth. How can we find our balance between being both connected and reflective in our world of ever-increasing, constant distraction?

Of course, I will continue to comment on articles I read in the press or things I come across on the Internet, particularly when they bring up issues too interesting to pass up. The opportunity to comment on such matters is one of the true benefits of writing every week on a blog.

The end of the year also seems like a good time to pause and be thankful for the good things in life, one of which for me is reader participation. To those of you who contact me with your ideas and comments, and to those who share my work on social media, you should know that I do truly appreciate your involvement.

So, a Happy New Year to all, and I will be back next week to pick up where we left off.

Image: Flickr-use Misty Johnson