2012 Top Ten Professional Resolutions

2012 is no longer just an action movie or a looming prophecy, it is about to become reality. This is the time of year when we ponder changes and eagerly welcome a fresh, new start. Resolutions need not always be of a personal nature. In the spirit of building relationships and making connections, Escoe Bliss has decided to share our top ten goals for 2012.

If you know Escoe Bliss, you know we love grammar! This list of resolutions is derived from some etymological fun surrounding the historical origin of ‘en'. 'En' is of Greek origin, meaning: in, into, inside, inwards. 

 So without further ado, here are:

The Top Ten Professional Resolutions to Ring "En" Your New Year! 

1. Envision: to picture mentally; especially some future event or events "As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe it one hundred percent." - David Hockney, Artist, Designer, Photographer
   Making resolutions is your first step to envisioning success in 2012, but you need to get behind them and make them real. Write your resolutions down. Review your goals on a regular basis in order to keep them fresh and stay motivated. Set realistic expectations; expecting too much, too quick is counterproductive and will only breed frustration.
2. Engage: to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons)
   With all of the advancements in social media, engaging your clients, business partners, and prospects has never been easier and more affordable. You may need to take a little time to educate yourself about what are the most useful and appropriate social media tools for your business, but the resources are out there. With little time you can easily communicate with your audience and increase brand strength. Social media gives you an opportunity to share and initiate discussion with your followers and form a relationship with them. The relationship you build will foster customer loyalty and business success.
3. Enhance: to raise to a higher degree or to raise the value of
   An easy way to enhance your business in 2012 is to take a look at your brand statement or elevator speech. Have you re-evaluated these recently? Business is a changing entity and the message about your mission and services needs to continually evolve. For more information, great tips, useful links on composing a stellar elevator speech read our November Communication Corner.
4. Enrich: to add greater value or significance to
   Our own Jolynn Atkins, VP of Strategic Operations and Consulting Solutions, stands by the belief that she is forever a student of life. Make it your mission to continually to enrich your mind, skill set, and desires. Membership and active involvement in professional organizations is a wonderful way to stay knowledgeable about the latest developments in your industry while building your professional network. 
5. Enlighten: Illumine, edify, teach, inform
   Lead by example in 2012. Each of us bring unique talents to our offices and the best way to foster growth is to share what we know. If you're an executive, consider becoming a mentor to a fresh face in your field. Not only will you teach them invaluable lessons, but you will probably learn a thing or two as well. A mentoring relationship is a beautiful thing, because it is a mutually beneficial relationship. If on the other hand you are new to a field, don't be shy about approaching someone you admire and asking them for their guidance. Often we don't realize how much we have to contribute until someone asks us to share. Asking an experienced associate for their insight will both flatter and motivate them.
6. Enable: to make ready; equip (often used in combination)
   If you're going to have a successful year, you need to be equipped with the right tools and the only way to truly improve is by taking an honest look at our weaknesses. Regular feedback and constructive criticism both motivate and teach us how to be more effective employees, leaders, and coworkers. Return on Recognition® Program (ROR) is a new web based tool that revolutionizes the world of employee performance assessments. ROR® is a coaching system intended to encourage increased employee performance and engagement through positive, ongoing communication and recognition.
   Take advantage of the exlusive Insider ROR® offer. Email Regina Gormanly to get your copy.
7. Encourage: to inspire courage, hope, or spirit
   Corporate responsibility is crucial to your business and society as a whole. As you begin the year assess your company's level of involvement in your community. Do you have a charity of choice? If you do, is your relationship with them vibrant? Reach out to their community or corporate relations team member to find out if your organization can help with any current and crucial needs. Make sure  you are communicating your support and advocacy to your clients, partners, and employees. Hope is contagious and carries with it wonderful side effects such as customer loyalty, brand recognition, and increased employee morale.
8. Endure: to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo
   Our country was formed by groups of people looking for solutions in hard times. Perseverance is in our blood and it's the back bone of our culture. During difficult economic times like these we need to hold fast to the simple practices that have proven themselves invaluable throughout history. In 2012, hard work, respect, and responsible spending are the keys to weathering this economic storm. Keep your business practices honest and use your budget intelligently. This will help your business fiscally and project a responsible image to your clients, which will encourage their loyalty and repeat business.
9. Ensure: to secure or guarantee
   Guarantee yourself, your brand, and possibly your company that this will be a year of growth and profitability. Secure a prominent position in your market by using economical tools and concentrating on retention (of valuable employees and customers).  Sheryl Crowe states in her song Soak Up the Sun, "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." Often there is considerable potential and value surrounding us and the key to maximizing results is appreciating what we already have. Frequent communication and exclusive offers are a great way to retain existing clients (see Resolution 1, Engage). Opportunities for education and advancement are great retention tools for high-performing employees (See Resolutions 5 and 6, Enlighten and Enable). There are also a wide selection of affordable corporate training tools and software programs available. Ask Escoe Bliss how our highly qualified e-learning professionals can help with your next internal training project.
10. Enjoy! to experience with joy; take pleasure in
    Armed with your resolutions for 2012, you are a professional force to be reckoned with! The only remaining token of advice is, "the more the merrier!" Share, share, share with your colleagues, family and friends, and superiors and staff. A well trained soldier has a good shot at success, but a well trained army can't lose. Once you begin working in unison with others on these professional resolutions, you will begin to see the benefits for your office, brand, and community. Leaving you with the fun part; lots of reasons to celebrate!