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Here’s A New Way of “Finishing Strong” This Year

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If you’re in the business of, well, any business, you are constantly seeing this message of, “Finishing strong.” Whether it’s the month, quarter, or the dreaded end of the year, you are constantly encouraged to review, correct, ramp up, and work harder to see those results. It’s the key to success right?

What isn’t often said is, this is exhausting! What do we do if we don’t feel like pushing ourselves harder? What if we are ready to let the results remain what they are and have that be an appropriate amount of success? 

As we wrap up 2021, I’m calling it in. I’m happy to say I made progress in the direction of my goals this year and whatever I didn’t achieve, can be done even after that magical number of 12:00AM hits on January 1, 2022.

You Deserve a Break

No matter what has happened this year, you deserve a break. You deserve to breath, relax, and enjoy your time with yourself, your friends, or family. I don’t care if you epically failed in all of your business ventures, you deserve to take the time to reset, realign, and get back on track. 

Working through exhaustion, a cluttered or distracted mind won’t do you or your business any good. You will be putting in half-assed effort and receive half-assed results. Making commitments to something your heart is not really in, is only going to cause negative energy and emotions to show up. Make sure whatever you are doing at the end of this year, is what you really truly want to be doing. 

I’m not saying you should ignore every email or call, but I am saying to invest your energy wisely.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

The Results You Achieve Next Will Be Far Greater 

Taking time to rest, is only going to benefit you and your business. Have you ever gone on vacation or taken a long weekend only to come back with a full list of inspired ideas and inspiration to implement? I know I have.

Shutting your mind off, allowing yourself to direct your thoughts and attention elsewhere is what can help you come back fully focused and engaged. The obvious benefit of coming back well-rested and energized doesn’t hurt either. 

What you focus on expands. If you are constantly looking at the different points of your business that need improvement, you’re going to hit a mental wall. The answers don’t come from constantly looking at the problem, it comes from experiencing what’s around it. 

Trying Something New Brings a New Perspective

Let yourself enjoy your time away from the pressure of business and results just for a little bit. Enjoy yourself and remember why you’ve been pushing yourself so hard in the first place.

Live your life. Go out and try something new, let the experience expand your mind and bring a new perspective. Trying new things or even getting back to something you haven’t done in a long while, can recharge you and let those creative juices flow.

Trying something new could also mean making new, unexpected connections and opportunities. I had been warding off an invitation to help collaborate and organize an event this year (something completely outside of my comfort zone), but I finally decided to l hop on one of the planning calls. The instant joy I found in connecting with fellow creators and visionaries, launched me into a completely new level of thinking. There are others out there just like me, I bet the same can be said for you!

So what does, “Finishing strong,” mean to me? It means letting myself prepare for the next level of impact I intend to make. Preparing mentally, emotionally, and physically. 

Finishing strong means setting myself up for success by being fully charged, inspired, and most of all grateful to have the opportunity to have the business that I do. 

I encourage you to reset, re-align, and reimagine what success looks like for you going forward. Remind yourself that you deserve all the success in the world, but you also deserve to take a step back, slow down, and be okay with where you’re currently at. 

Amanda Thomas is an Impact Leader, promoting healing, self-empowerment, and conscious evolution. She helps visionaries create massive impact in our world. To connect further, please visit her website. For community and inspiration, join Power Through Healing on Facebook.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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