For many of us, 2020 was chock-full of challenges, but I think it was also full of meaningful lessons. Many of us learned how capable we are of rising to a challenge and leading through turmoil. We learned how to pivot and keep things moving, even with little information at our disposal and so much uncertainty swirling around us. Some of us learned how to operate more leanly, more efficiently and rely on fewer resources.

For those of us who never led virtually, we learned how much we take for granted the ability to walk over to an employee’s desk for a quick chat or call an impromptu meeting in the breakroom. For those of us who have managed virtual employees or whole virtual teams, we realized how agile and adaptive we are, even in the face of unprecedented change.

I want to believe the world, and specifically leaders, became a little bit more compassionate, empathetic and patient during the last nine months. We saw our employees doing everything they could to balance children, virtual school and work, and many of us did the same ourselves. Some of us helped our employees cope with the loss of loved ones, care for ill family memories or even battle the virus themselves. Or we went through that, while keeping our eye on the ball.

Yes, it was a challenging, sad year. But if you made it this far, kept leading and kept your team going, it is also a triumph.

As we close the door on 2020, and open a new one to the promise and opportunity of 2021, I want you to take a moment to acknowledge the work you did. Give yourself space to be proud of how you rose to the challenges. I want you to acknowledge the work your coworkers and employees did. I want you all to think about what went well this year and what you accomplished. Then I want you to look forward, and we’ll be here to help you along the way.

JS Consulting is taking a bit of a break to enjoy the holiday season and reflect on our triumphs in 2020, including creating this platform to connect with you. We’ll be back soon, and our first post in January will be all about moving forward and helping you to develop a professional development plan. We look forward to sharing insights with you in the new year!

Happy holidays,
JS Consulting