Episode 205 - 2025 New Year's Resolutions for Leaders

isn't just a tech buzzword anymore. It's literally transforming the way leaders make decisions, solve problems, and communicate. This year, commit to learning at least one AI application that can benefit your role. Doesn't matter if it's for data analysis, task automation, writing reports, or improving team workflows. You can no longer afford to stay on the sidelines if you're ignoring the AI stuff that's out there, and if you're

unsure where to start, just start with chat GPT. Trust me, there are tons of videos on YouTube for free that you can watch. There are many courses online that you can take that'll help you to learn this large language model and master it for your job. Just don't fear it. I did an episode on this a while back about the fear of AI, and I truly believe that the leaders of the future will those who leverage AI and not fear it. It's it's it's a deep belief of mine.

Number two resolution is stop doom scrolling on social media and replace it with micro learning. And yes, if that sounds like a commercial, it's because it is a commercial. And I had just discovered this app that I had kept getting ads on called deep Stash, where that's honestly their their pitch, stop doom scrolling and replace doom scrolling with micro learning. It's pretty powerful. If you don't want

to pay for an app like that. Again, you can consume bite sized content in the form of articles or podcasts or YouTube videos or a short course on topics like communication skills or leadership trends or anything like that. Coursera LinkedIn Learning. They offer quick lessons that pack a

pretty good punch. Number three resolution for leaders in twenty twenty five is prioritize face to face communication because our world is dominated right now by virtual meetings and emails, and I truly believe make twenty twenty five the year you bring back the power of in person connection. And it doesn't matter if it's one on ones with a team member, a brainstorming session, a simple check. In the bottom line is face to face communication builds trust and

it strengthens relationships. And I'm a big believer that we need to get back to that time in that era. Number four invest in your team's mental wellness because as a leader, you set the tone for your organization's culture. Make mental health and wellness a priority this year, and you can start with simple steps like encourage regular breaks, normalize conversations about stress, offer access to mental health resources.

If you don't already, you know, because I think that when you show genuine care for your team's well being, you create a healthier, more productive work environment and that's a win win for everyone. And number five, master the art of delegation. So this year, if you've been holding on to tasks that someone else on your team could handle, it's time to let go. Delegation isn't just about lightening

your load. It's about empowering others to grow. So identify one or two tasks that you can delegate and trust your team to deliver in twenty twenty five. Not only does this free you up to focus on your strategic goals, but it also demonstrates your confidence and their abilities. So as we close out another year of the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast, I want to remind everybody my stand Store and my website is a great location for a lot

of free resources for leadership. Just the other night, I published a new ebook called The New Leader's Playbook that's available for free on stand Store and on my website. Just go there and you can pick that up. As always, thank you for listening. It's been another great year and I look forward to twenty twenty five and beyond and seeing where your leadership journey takes you. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and as always, thank you for listening, and Happy new year.